USA Sports takes over NASCAR's final 14 Cup races in 2026

USA Sports laid out an expanded 2026 NASCAR Cup Series plan under parent company Versant Media, saying the final 14 races of the season will be branded entirely as USA Sports, including races that air on NBC. Leigh Diffey, Jeff Burton and Steve Letarte will work the broadcast booth, Marty Snider, Brad Daugherty and Dale Jarrett will host the pre-race “Pit Box” show, and Kim Coon, Dave Burns and Trevor Bayne will serve as pit reporters, with Bayne also appearing live from inside the pace car at select races. USA Sports will also cover The Chase for the first time, and Diffey and Letarte said the format should create more open discussion about who can make the cut and win the championship.

The network and NASCAR also announced “NASCAR Americana,” a three-part documentary series that will premiere Sunday, Aug. 9, 2026, at 7 p.m. ET on USA Network after the Iowa Corn 350 at Iowa Speedway. Peyton Manning is an executive producer, the series is inspired by America’s 250th birthday, and it looks at NASCAR’s place in U.S. history, from its Southern back-road origins to its rise as a national institution. The series is directed by Emmy winner Max Gershberg and produced by NASCAR Studios, Words + Pictures and Omaha Productions.

The first episode, “Rebel Roots,” airs Aug. 9 and follows Ryan Blaney as he prepares for the 2026 Daytona 500. “Family Bonds” airs Aug. 15 and includes Kurt Busch’s first formal sit-down interview since his brother Kyle Busch’s death in May. “Enduring Spirit” airs Aug. 23 and features Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace at the 2026 Anduril 250. The series also includes interviews with Jeff Gordon, Darius Rucker, Frankie Muniz and Peyton Manning, and will air over three weekends in August after NASCAR broadcasts from Iowa Speedway, Richmond Raceway and New Hampshire Motor Speedway.