NASCAR is all set for a comeback after the Easter break, firing on all cylinders at one of the most iconic racetracks: Bristol Motor Speedway. ‘The Last Great Coliseum’ is a track that has provided a lot of iconic moments in the past. This season’s race also promises major storylines with a new horsepower package and tire setup. Here’s a complete breakdown of the weekend NASCAR schedule, TV timings, entry lists, race odds, and everything else fans need to know heading into the throwback weekend.

NASCAR schedule, weather, & TV timings

The race weekend at Bristol Motor Speedway is stacked across all three national series, with action spread across Friday through Sunday.

Friday (Truck Series)

3:30 p.m. ET-Fox Sports 2-Truck Practice & Qualifying

7:30 p.m. ET-Fox Sports 1-Truck 65-65-120, 3 sets

Saturday (O’Reilly Series)

2:00 p.m. ET-CW App-O’Reilly Practice & Qualifying

4:30 p.m. ET-Prime-Cup Practice & Qualifying

6:30 p.m. ET-CW-Pre-race

7:30 p.m. ET-CW-OReilly 85-85-130, 4 sets

Sunday (Cup Series)

2:00 PM ET-Fox Sports 1-NASCAR RaceDay

3:00 PM ET -Fox Sports 1-Cup 125-125-250, 11 sets

On Friday, there is a 5% chance of rain, which would grow to 10% on Saturday for the O’Reilly race. But for Sunday’s Cup race, there is a 5% chance of rain again. While Friday is projected to be sunny, the skies on Saturday and Sunday will be cloudy.

The rain would determine the track temperature, which in turn would affect the tire fall off, which is a huge factor in the races at Bristol.

Race odds: Who are the favorites?

According to odds from DraftKings Sportsbook as of April 7, the NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol is shaping up to be a tightly contested battle among the sport’s elite.

  1. Kyle Larson (+400): The defending Cup champion, who is winless so far this season, is in prime position as per odds to break his longest winless streak (31 races) in this time at HMS.
  2. Denny Hamlin (+550): With a race win under his belt this year, Hamlin would be aiming for his 5th win at Bristol on Sunday.
  3. Ryan Blaney (+650): The Team Penske driver has never won at the short track before, but his last three results (4th,5th,6th) suggest progress that could lead to his first win of the season at Bristol.

The other drivers who are favored by the odds to win are Christopher Bell (+700), Ty Gibbs (+900), William Byron (+1000), Chase Elliott (+1400), Chase Briscoe (+1400), Joey Logano (+1600) and Brad Keselowski (+2500).

Bristol is a racetrack that rewards good tire management, maintaining focus on turns with door-to-door action and a strong qualifying result. However, the track has also rewarded some late race charges from drivers who did the right thing at the right time.

Purse details: What’s at stake?

The drivers at Bristol would be racing to stand a chance to win handsome payouts from purses worth millions of dollars across the three days of the weekend. According to Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports, the purses at Bristol Motor Speedway have been disclosed. For Friday’s Truck race, there is a total purse of $839,700. For the O’Reilly race, $1,753,590 is the purse. And for Sunday’s Cup race, the total purse would be $11,233,037.

Special guests & ceremonial roles

For the Cup race at Bristol, the grand marshal would be a county official, while the honorary starter would be a quarterback from the University of Tennessee.

  • Grand Marshal: Glenn Jacobs, Knox County Mayor
  • Honorary Starter: Josh Dobbs

Why the Bristol NASCAR weekend would be an interesting one in 2026

In the last four races at Bristol, one big defining factor has been the tire wear. The driver who nursed his tire better than the others, along with the right pit calls have gone on to win the race. Interestingly, for this year’s Bristol race, Goodyear has developed a tire set that would be less dependent on the temperature, based on last November and March tests. Along with that, the short track would also feature the new, increased horsepower package of 750hp.

Final thoughts

The Cup race returning to Bristol, which is also known as the world’s fastest half-mile oval, with a new tire set and increased power, is all set to produce an exciting race. The high-banked concrete layered track of Bristol, along with the Coliseum-like structure of the venue, leads to a fan experience unlike anything else on the NASCAR calendar.

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