NASCAR has some of the most dedicated fans in the sports world and they will be damned if they are going to lose access to the races by getting rid of cable or satellite TV. The good news is that there are a number of ways to watch the races without a traditional cable TV package whether it is just straight-up free or via a less expensive option like one of the cable replacement services. Check out our guide to learn what you need.
NASCAR lives in two places these days. The NBC Universal family of channels and Fox Sports. So to see the action you will need to have access to these options.
Antenna
You are going to need NBC to get the full story on NASCAR and the good news is that this can be had for free. If you live in an area where an antenna will allow you to pick up on over-the-air TV signals then a good antenna is a can’t miss investment.
NBC is home to lots of content from live events to specials and previews throughout the year. And with an antenna, fans will see it all with the best picture possible. And that’s not all. Fox is also a major network partner for NASCAR. And like NBC the network can be had as long as you can use an antenna at your home.
Between the two traditional broadcast networks, there is a lot to see without paying more than the cost of the new hardware, and maybe an installation fee depending on whether the equipment needs to be safely mounted on the home in order to work properly. If it will work out with a simple indoor model a few tacks will do the job.
Unfortunately, there is a lot of action spread across a number of networks so while NBC can be a hub of content there is a lot more to be seen elsewhere which is why we have this guide.
But for casual racing fans, if there are casual racing fans, NBC is a nice was to spend an afternoon watching people turn left at death-defying speeds. The Networks are home to big events. For instance the cup championship, Talladega etc. Some of the equally exciting races live in other places and that’s why we put together this guide
Peacock
Peacock is an app owned by NBC/Comcast that has taken a big dive into sports by leveraging its existing relationships built around NBC and USA Network.
The streaming service is inexpensive at $5.99 per month and has been expanding on its NASCAR and racing content in general since it launched.
Peacock is not the home of NASCAR by any stretch but it is the home to tons of content that help racing fans get the full picture of the state of the race for the cup and see cool events like the Hall Of Fame inductions, race replays, post-show replays and more.
To get a feel for what you can find on Peacock either check out its website or look at the official NASCAR website schedule of events to see what live races will be streaming.
Premium Cable Replacement Services
Sling TV, Hulu With Live TV, Fubo and YouTube TV are going to house the channels that you can not get via an app or antenna. And the good news is that the cost is a lot less than any cable service that is not giving you an intro deal. While many a guide has been written that conflates short-term discounts and the cost of streaming apps, anyone who has had cable for a number of years and pays attention to the bill knows that the price of TV service alone has raced up the charts.
That is where this group of services comes in. All of them offer the key sports networks that carry the rest of the races that make up the NASCAR season outside of the biggest races of the year. Each of the listed services offers USA Network and FS1. They are key to seeing the action as it happens. An added bonus is that subscribers to cable replacement services also get access to apps like NBC Sports and Fox Sports apps, not to mention mobile versions of the TV apps themselves that allow users to check out actions anywhere as long as they have an Internet connection.
This is a lifesaver when you are stuck at work on a Saturday. You can’t drink a beer but you can still yell or at least shake your fist at the screen.