Fans were ready for the NASCAR Cup Series regular season to come to a close on Saturday. Now they’ll have to wait until Sunday after rain in Daytona Beach, Fla., forced a postponement.
When the drivers finally hit the track, all eyes will be on Ryan Blaney and Martin Truex Jr. The two remain in the playoff picture based on points, and they’re the only drivers who can enter the playoffs on points. At least one is guaranteed to make it, but plenty of chaos could ensue that would ensure one of them misses the playoffs.
If a qualifying non-playoff driver wins Sunday morning’s race at Daytona International Speedway, one of Blaney or Truex will miss the Field of 16. If Blaney or Truex wins, then both are in. If a driver who has already won a race in 2022 wins, then Blaney and Truex are both in as well.
Last year, Blaney came out on top in a crash-filled Coke Zero Sugar 400 as drivers hoping for the last chance to reach the playoffs went all out for the win. This year should be no different in terms of drama for NASCAR fans.
MORE: Watch the Coke Zero Sugar 400 live with fuboTV (free trial)
The Sporting News is tracking live updates and highlights from the Coke Zero Sugar 400 on Sunday. Follow along for the latest at Daytona.
NASCAR at Daytona live updates, highlights from Coke Zero Sugar 400
(All times Eastern)
Aug. 28
10:47 p.m.: The second stage is underway, with Corey LaJoie, Bubba Wallace, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. leading the field on the restart.
10:46 p.m.: Truex filled up on fuel and now has a full tank, but will start second-to-last on the restart. But this could set him up well for the second stage.
10:43 p.m.: Busch is headed to the rear for running over equipment.
10:41 p.m.: Blaney met minimum speed and can go to pit road. Coming off pit road during the stage caution, Chastain led Logano, Burton and Chase Briscoe.
10:37 p.m.: Logano wins the first stage of the Coke Zero Sugar 400. Elliott places second, Burton third, Kyle Busch fourth and Truex fifth. With the win, Truex moves to just 19 points behind Blaney.
Block baby, block!
Joey Logano uses both lanes to his advantage to win Stage 1 at @Daytona. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/iRlVe0ILYX
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) August 28, 2022
10:37 p.m.: Keselowski’s day is over. He will miss the playoffs.
.@keselowski needed a win, but the No. 6 car is out after suffering heavy damage at @DAYTONA. pic.twitter.com/qBchn0Osu3
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) August 28, 2022
10:36 p.m.: Blaney is able to get back out on the track, but he’ll have to maintain speed to stay out there. Truex is fourth as the race prepares to return to green with one lap left in the stage.
10:34 p.m.: Bell, Brad Keselowski and Blaney are all behind more than a lap as cars have gone back out after stops on pit road. Elliott is back to the lead with Logano and Harrison Burton rounding out the top three with the caution flag still out.
10:30 p.m.: Blaney sustained heavy damage to the front right side of his car. Video replay appeared to show his front right tire was not moving.
10:29 p.m.: Big crash with five laps left to go in the first stage. Hamlin, Blaney, Christopher Bell all involved in the crash. Blaney is fighting to reach the playoffs.
Big trouble for Ryan Blaney!
If Martin Truex Jr. catches him in points and we get a new winner below them in points (in the top 30), he’d be out of the playoffs.
📺 : CNBC and Peacock. pic.twitter.com/ou2V7sk0bg
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) August 28, 2022
10:27 p.m.: Jones has moved out in front of the bottom lane, and Denny Hamlin and Blaney fall in behind him ahead of Elliott.
10:26 p.m.: With 10 laps left in Stage 1 at Daytona, it’s still Elliott and Jones leading the low and high lanes, respectively, with Elliott currently leading the way.
10:21 p.m.: Erik Jones, leading the outside, is making a run at Elliott and Logano for the lead. He’s now running side-by-side with Elliott for first on the 21st lap.
Look at @Erik_Jones making that outside line work! 💪 pic.twitter.com/npH2Ng8Ddq
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) August 28, 2022
10:18 p.m.: Larson is headed to the garage.
Kyle Larson to the garage with issues early at Daytona. #NASCAR
📺 : CNBC and @peacockTV pic.twitter.com/1z9v5naGvG
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) August 28, 2022
10:17 p.m.: Larson has dropped way back in the race. He’s heading to pit road on lap 15. He might be done for the day.
10:13 p.m.: Rain coming down on turns one and two 10 laps into the race.
10:11 p.m.: Just seven laps into the race, there is already three wide in the middle, with Ryan Blaney in the middle of it. Even went four wide at one point.
10:10 p.m.: The top lane, which is led by Larson, continues to fall behind. Larson leads the line, but has dropped down to 10th. Cars racing on the bottom continue to race out in front of the top line behind Elliott.
10:08 p.m.: Daniel Suarez keeps pushing Larson on the outside, while Joey Logano pushes Elliott on the bottom of the track. Through the first five laps, Elliott has maintained his advantage.
10:06 p.m.: It didn’t take long for the regular-season champion to move up to the front. Chase Elliott jumps past Kyle Larson on the first lap to move out to first, while Larson drops all the way back down to seventh by the start of the second.
10:05 p.m.: The green flag has been waved, and the Coke Zero Sugar 400 is underway.
9:58 p.m.: Engines have been fired at the Daytona International Speedway.
A sound we love to hear! 🔊
Get to CNBC now! #CokeZeroSugar400 pic.twitter.com/7SawxKxOYP
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) August 28, 2022
9:47 p.m.: Everything is looking good at Daytona this morning for Sunday’s race to take place.
#NASCAR … Crowd on the grid.
It is steamy here at Daytona. Very humid but a dry track.
Coverage begins at 10 am ET on CNBC and Peacock.
Green flag at 10:05 am ET pic.twitter.com/5U4BiDmHBY
— Dustin Long (@dustinlong) August 28, 2022
Aug. 27
8:12 p.m.: This race will not be happening tonight. Instead, the green flag will be waved Sunday morning at 10:05 a.m. ET.
7:18 p.m.: Settle in, everyone. Sounds like it could be a while until this race is underway.
NBC will delay its Daytona coverage (it is raining here and at least a couple of hours from getting started) 👇 https://t.co/GaeiGDMxx4
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) August 27, 2022
7:08 p.m.: For those wondering why coverage of NASCAR has not begun on NBC, it is because there is also a weather delay at the 2022 Tour Championship in Atlanta. Due to that, the start of the NASCAR broadcast has been pushed back to 7:30 p.m. ET.
🚨PROGRAMMING ALERT🚨@NASCARonNBC coverage from @DAYTONA will begin at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
Third round coverage of the TOUR Championship will air on NBC until 7:30 p.m. ET and will then shift to @GolfChannel until conclusion of play.
— NBC Sports PR (@NBCSportsPR) August 27, 2022
7 p.m.: Rain has threatened the start of tonight’s race. For more updates on the weather, follow along here.
What time does the NASCAR race at Daytona start?
- Start time: 10:05 a.m. ET
The final race of the regular season was originally listed to begin at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, but it was rained out. The race is now scheduled to star at 10:05 a.m. ET on Sunday.
What channel is the NASCAR race on today?
- TV channel: CNBC (U.S.) | TSN5 (Canada)
- Live stream: Peacock, fuboTV
- Radio: MRN
NASCAR will be on CNBC in the U.S. for the final race of the Cup Series regular season. Canadian viewers can find the race on TSN5.
Rick Allen will lead the coverage on NBC as the lap-by-lap announcer with Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton and Steve Letarte providing analysis. Marty Snider, Dave Burns and Parker Kligerman will be the pit reporters.
Those hoping to stream the race can find it on Peacock or on fuboTV, which offers a free trial.
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