The eagerly anticipated start of the Round of 12 in the NASCAR Cup Series unfolds this week in New England, where the focus turns to the NASCAR New Hampshire TV Schedule. Races and coverage times are set as drivers, teams, and fans prepare for key events at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, while other major motorsports competitions take place nationally and abroad.
Highlighted in the schedule are both practice and qualifying sessions for the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series and Cup Series, as well as the Team EJP 175, ARCA Menards Series’ Kentuckiana Ford Dealers ARCA 200, and Whelen Modified Tour events. Each event will be broadcasted on various networks such as FS1, FS2, TruTV, HBO Max, and USA Network, ensuring fans can follow the action in detail throughout the weekend.
Detailed Schedule for NASCAR at New Hampshire
Friday will feature the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series with practice at 4:05 p.m. ET and qualifying at 5:10 p.m. ET, both scheduled to air on FS2. Teams will arrive in Loudon to parade and unload their haulers before garage access. On Saturday, the Team EJP 175 Truck Series race goes live at noon on FS1, while Cup Series drivers start their practice at 3 p.m. ET, followed by qualifying at 4:10 p.m. ET. Both sessions will be televised on TruTV and HBO Max.
The main event, the NASCAR Cup Series Mobil 1 301, will take place on Sunday with coverage beginning at 1:30 p.m. ET via Countdown to Green on USA Network. The green flag is expected to wave at 2:05 p.m. ET, launching the first fall race at the 1.058-mile New Hampshire oval since 2017. After NASCAR reduced the track’s Cup schedule from two races down to one, this adds a layer of significance for competitors returning here in the playoffs.
Practice, Qualifying, and Additional Events
Teams will face a busy weekend; Friday includes truck series preparation, with a 50-minute practice session for drivers at 3:10 p.m. ET, broadcast on FS2. Qualifying follows at 4:10 p.m. ET. With many drivers lacking experience at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, additional track time is essential.
Saturday’s schedule offers a full day, with inspection, final practices, and qualifying leading up to race events. For fans interested in more than just the major series, the Whelen Modified Tour event starts early, with racing at 9:15 a.m. ET and streaming coverage beginning at 9 a.m. ET on FLORacing.com. This diverse lineup supports a dynamic weekend for all teams and spectators at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Meanwhile, the ARCA Menards Series travels to Salem Speedway in Southern Indiana, marking the 110th visit to the classic ARCA venue. Teams will have a 45-minute practice at 3:45 p.m. ET and qualifying at 5:15 p.m. ET, though neither session is scheduled for TV coverage. The Kentuckiana Ford Dealers ARCA 200 goes live Saturday at 8 p.m. ET on FS2, with the green flag expected to drop at 8:10 p.m. ET.
TV Ratings Snapshot from Bristol
The previous weekend’s broadcast data from Bristol highlights ongoing ratings challenges for NASCAR amid stiff competition from college football. The Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol managed a .79 TV rating and attracted 1.536 million viewers. This reflects a 19% decrease from the prior year, which garnered a .98 rating and 1.898 million viewers during the same September slot.
Concurrent broadcasts of prominent football games likely drew audience share, with the Florida-LSU contest on ABC capturing 7.028 million viewers and the Notre Dame-Texas A&M matchup on NBC bringing in 5.149 million viewers. Despite the competition, the Bass Pro Shops Night Race still held the distinction of being the fourth-highest rated prime-time broadcast on Saturday night.
NASCAR’s Xfinity Series Food City 300, broadcast Friday, secured a .45 rating and 767,000 viewers, marking declines of 13.4% and 15.4% compared to last year’s results. The Craftsman Truck Series’ UNOH 250, aired Thursday, earned a .16 rating with 276,000 viewers—a slight drop from the previous year’s .17 rating and 289,000 viewers.
What This Means for NASCAR and Motorsports Coverage
The packed weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway places intense focus on how NASCAR navigates its playoff rounds and continues to engage viewers amid tight sports competition. The NASCAR New Hampshire TV Schedule offers fans comprehensive coverage opportunities, but recent trends in television ratings highlight the ongoing challenge of drawing large audiences during peak football season.
Key figures in this narrative include the drivers who are adapting to the unique demands of the New Hampshire oval, the broadcast partners like USA Network and FS1 delivering live coverage, and organizations striving to balance tradition and innovation. The involvement of entities such as Lebanon Valley Speedway, the ARCA Menards Series, and the Craftsman Truck Series underlines the vibrant, interconnected nature of North American motorsports.
As teams prepare for loaded, high-stakes sessions in Loudon and across other iconic venues like Salem Speedway and Bristol, the coming weeks will reveal how NASCAR’s strategies play out both on the track and in the living rooms of its fans nationwide.
