NASCAR officials released start times Tuesday for the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season.
The most notable shift involves the playoffs opener at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which will be a nighttime, primetime event next year. The 2019 slate for NASCAR’s top division features few other changes, save for a handful of 30- or 60-minute variations from the previous year’s schedule.
“Moving the start time for the September race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is fitting because it will deliver a better experience for our fans attending the race, and kick off the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs in primetime,” said Steve Herbst, NASCAR Senior Vice President of Broadcasting and Production.
“Each race weekend, including Las Vegas, is unique, and we work collaboratively with broadcast partners, teams and tracks to ensure the ideal timing is selected for our events,” Herbst concluded.
The 1.5-mile Las Vegas track served as a September opener to the 10-race postseason for the first time in 2018. The daytime race began at 3 p.m. ET (noon local time) and brought with it hot late-summer temperatures. The race starting at 4 p.m. local time puts Vegas in a similar category as the prestigious Coca-Cola 600 in events that start under the sun and end under the lights.
Other notes from the 2019 start times:
• Green flag times for next year’s Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway are unchanged. Daytona 500 qualifying will be scheduled on the same day (Feb. 10) as The Clash invitational for the second straight year. The season-opening stretch will culminate with the Feb. 17 Daytona 500, starting at 2:30 p.m. ET.
• The March 31 event at Texas Motor Speedway will start one hour later in 2019, moving from a 2 p.m. ET start to 3 p.m. ET. The race also moves to FOX.
• The start time for New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s July 22 event will fire off one hour later, moving from 2 p.m. ET to 3 p.m. ET.
• Martinsville Speedway’s Oct. 28 race in the postseason shifts a half-hour later to a 3 p.m. ET start, which should mean a longer stretch of racing under the lights near the finish.
2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series TV schedule
DATE
TRACK | RACE
Sun., Feb. 10
FS1 (3:00 PM)
Daytona 500 – Qualifying
Sun., Feb. 10
FS1 (7:00 PM)
Daytona | The Clash
Thurs., Feb. 14
FS1 (9:00 PM)
Daytona | Daytona Duels
Sun., Feb. 17
FOX (2:30 PM)
Daytona | Daytona 500
Sun., Feb. 24
FOX (2:00 PM)
Atlanta Motor Speedway
Sun., March 3
FOX (3:30 PM)
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Sun., March 10
FOX (3:30 PM)
ISM Raceway
Sun., March 17
FOX (3:30 PM)
Auto Club Speedway
Sun., March 24
FS1 (2:00 PM)
Martinsville Speedway
Sun., March 31
FOX (3:00 PM)
Texas Motor Speedway
Sun., April 7
FS1 (2:00 PM)
Bristol Motor Speedway
Sat., April 13
FOX (7:30 PM)
Richmond Raceway
Sun., April 28
FOX (2:00 PM)
Talladega Superspeedway
Sun., May 5
FS1 (2:00 PM)
Dover International Speedway
Sat., May 11
FS1 (7:30)
Kansas Speedway
Sat., May 18
FS1 (6:00 PM)
Charlotte | All-Star Open
Sat., May 18
FS1 (8:00 PM)
Charlotte | All-Star Race
Sun., May 26
FOX (6:00 PM)
Charlotte Motor Speedway | Coca-Cola 600
Sun., June 2
FS1 (2:00 PM)
Pocono Raceway
Sun., June 9
FS1 (2:00 PM)
Michigan International Speedway
Sun., June 23
FS1 (3:00 PM)
Sonoma Raceway
Sun., June 30
NBCSN (3:00 PM)
Chicagoland Speedway
Sat., July 6
NBC (7:30 PM)
Daytona International Speedway
Sat., July 13
NBCSN (7:30 PM)
Kentucky Speedway
Sun., July 21
NBCSN (3:00 PM)
New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Sun., July 28
NBCSN (3:00 PM)
Pocono Raceway
Sun., August 4
NBCSN (3:00 PM)
Watkins Glen International
Sun., August 11
NBCSN (3:00 PM)
Michigan International Speedway
Sat., August 17
NBCSN (7:30 PM)
Bristol Motor Speedway
Sun., September 1
NBCSN (6:00 PM)
Darlington Raceway | Southern 500
Sun., September 8
NBC (2:00 PM)
Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Brickyard 400
Sun., September 15
NBCSN (7:00 PM)
Las Vegas Motor Speedway
Sat., September 21
NBCSN (7:30 PM)
Richmond International Raceway
Sun., September 29
NBC (2:30 PM)
Charlotte Motor Speedway
Sun., October 6
NBCSN (2:30 PM)
Dover International Speedway
Sun., October 13
NBC (2:30 PM)
Talladega Superspeedway
Sun., October 20
NBC (2:30 PM)
Kansas Speedway
Sun., October 27
NBCSN (3:00 PM)
Martinsville Speedway
Sun., November 3
NBCSN (3:00 PM)
Texas Motor Speedway
Sun., November 10
NBC (2:30 PM)
ISM Raceway
Sun., November 17
NBC (2:30 PM)
Homestead-Miami Speedway
— NASCAR —
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