The dirty dozen.
The Cup Series has gotten that much more dramatic in the past week, with four drivers bidding adieu from the postseason after last weekend's race at Bristol. Now, just 12 remain. And with Texas on the horizon, the chance for Cup Series glory grows that much more real.
It's hard to find a hotter driver in the circuit than Denny Hamlin at the moment. The Joe Gibbs Racing star was the most consistent driver of the opening round, posting top-three finishes in all three races. If not for a few small errors — and a little bit of bad luck — Hamlin could very well have swept the round entirely.
Hamlin is one of NASCAR's greatest-ever drivers. It's easy to forget that he is, especially given his lack of a Cup Series championship and the general distaste his driving brings out of a great many fans of the sport. But everyone loves a good villain. And perhaps it's this villain's time to get his just rewards after years on the edge: a sparkling title to his name.
MORE: Watch NASCAR at Texas live with Fubo (free trial)
With that, here's what you need to know about the first cut off race of the second round of the Cup Series postseason, the AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400.
What channel is NASCAR on today?
- TV channel: USA (U.S.) | TSN5 (Canada)
- Live stream: Peacock, Fubo
- Radio: PRN
Sunday's race will be broadcast on USA Network in the United States. Canadian viewers can find the action on TSN5.
Veteran announcer Rick Allen will lead the race's lap-by-lap commentator. He'll be joined by former Cup Series stars Jeff Burton and Dale Earnhardt Jr., as well as former Daytona 500-winning crew chief Steve Letarte.
Cord-cutters can follow the action on Peacock, as well as with Fubo, which offers a free trial.
NASCAR start time today
- Date: Sunday, September 24
- Time: 3:30 p.m. ET
The AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 has a listed start time of 3:30 p.m. ET., but pre-race festivities are expected to push the waving of the green flag closer to 3:45 p.m. ET.
MORE: Starting order, pole for Texas playoff race based on qualifying results
NASCAR playoff schedule 2023
(All times Eastern)
| Date | Race | Track | Time | TV | Radio |
| Sept. 3 | Southern 500 (Kyle Larson) | Darlington Raceway | |||
| Sept. 10 | Hollywood Casino 400 (Tyler Reddick) | Kansas Speedway | |||
| Sept. 16 | Bass Pro Shops Night Race (Denny Hamlin) | Bristol Motor Speedway | |||
| Sept. 24 | AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 | Texas Motor Speedway | 3:30 p.m. | USA | PRN |
| Oct. 1 | YellaWood 500 | Talladega Superspeedway | 2 p.m. | NBC | MRN |
| Oct. 8 | Bank of America Roval 400 | Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval | 2 p.m. | NBC | PRN |
| Oct. 15 | South Point 400 | Las Vegas Motor Speedway | 2:30 p.m. | NBC | PRN |
| Oct. 22 | NASCAR Cup Series Race at Homestead-Miami | Homestead-Miami Speedway | 2:30 p.m. | NBC | MRN |
| Oct. 30 | Xfinity 500 | Martinsville Speedway | 2 p.m. | NBC | MRN |
| Nov. 6 | NASCAR Cup Series Championship | Phoenix Raceway | 3 p.m. | NBC | MRN |
Fans in Canada can watch all NASCAR races on TSN.