2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start times released

The dates for the 2018 NASCAR Cup Series races were already previously announced, but now the start times have all been revealed as well.

Unless you’re a fan of Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick or maybe one of the other five drivers still alive (for now) in the NASCAR Playoffs, you’re undoubtedly already thinking ahead to next season. The 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series campaign gets rolling on Feb. 11 with Daytona 500 qualifying and The Clash at Daytona, and that day will be here before you know it.

To heighten the anticipation, NASCAR released the start times for all of the Cup Series races in 2018, including those broadcast by both Fox and NBC. Next year’s schedule looks a bit different than this year’s, with the biggest changes coming near and during the playoffs. The Brickyard 400 won’t take place until September and will serve as the regular season finale, and the 10 postseason races look quite a bit different from 2017.

A couple of other changes to note with regard to the 2018 schedule and start times:

• The first night race is in April at Richmond, which was a day race this season. The first 2017 night race was at Kansas in mid-May.
• All the 1 p.m. starts are gone. That used to be a traditional start time for NASCAR Cup Series races, but as of 2017, only a few holdouts (the spring Bristol and summer Dover races) remained. In 2018, all races will begin at 2 p.m. or later.
• With the Richmond fall race moved to the playoffs, there will be a Saturday night playoff race, unlike this season where all of the final 10 races were scheduled for Sunday afternoons.
• Historically, the handoff between Fox and NBC takes place at the summer Daytona race, but NBC’s first race in 2018 — and the debut of Dale Earnhardt Jr. as a broadcaster — will come one week prior at Chicagoland.

Next: 2017 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs standings update

Here’s a look at the complete 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series schedule with start times and channel information.

(all times Eastern)

• Feb. 11 – Qualifying at Daytona – 12:00 p.m. – Fox
• Feb. 11 – Clash at Daytona – 3:00 p.m. – FS1
• Feb. 15 – Duel at Daytona – 7:00 p.m. – FS1
• Feb. 18 – Daytona – 2:30 p.m. – Fox
• Feb. 25 – Atlanta – 2:00 p.m. – Fox
• March 4 – Las Vegas – 3:30 p.m. – Fox
• March 11 – Phoenix – 3:30 p.m. – Fox
• March 18 – Auto Club – 3:30 p.m. – Fox
• March 25 – Martinsville – 2:00 p.m. – FS1
• April 8 – Texas – 2:00 p.m. – FS1
• April 15 – Bristol – 2:00 p.m. – Fox
• April 21 – Richmond – 6:30 p.m. – Fox
• April 29 – Talladega – 2:00 p.m. – Fox
• May 6 – Dover – 2:00 p.m. – FS1
• May 12 – Kansas – 8:00 p.m. – FS1
• May 19 – All-Star Open at Charlotte – 6:00 p.m. – FS1
• May 19 – All-Star Race at Charlotte – 8:00 p.m. – FS1
• May 27 – Charlotte – 6:00 p.m. – Fox
• June 3 – Pocono – 2:00 p.m. – FS1
• June 10 – Michigan – 2:00 p.m. – Fox
• June 24 – Sonoma – 3:00 p.m. – FS1
• July 1 – Chicagoland – 2:30 p.m. – NBCSN
• July 7 – Daytona – 7:00 p.m. – NBC
• July 14 – Kentucky – 7:30 p.m. – NBCSN
• July 22 – New Hampshire – 2:00 p.m. – NBCSN
• July 29 – Pocono – 2:30 p.m. – NBCSN
• Aug. 5 – Watkins Glen – 2:30 p.m. – NBC
• Aug. 12 – Michigan – 2:30 p.m. – NBCSN
• Aug. 18 – Bristol – 7:30 p.m. – NBCSN
• Sep. 2 – Darlington – 6:00 p.m. – NBCSN
• Sep. 9 – Indianapolis – 2:00 p.m. – NBCSN
• Sep. 16 – Las Vegas – 3:00 p.m. – NBCSN
• Sep. 22 – Richmond – 7:30 p.m. – NBCSN
• Sep. 30 – Charlotte (road course) – 2:00 p.m. – NBC
• Oct. 7 – Dover – 2:00 p.m. – NBCSN
• Oct. 14 – Talladega – 2:00 p.m. – NBC
• Oct. 21 – Kansas – 2:00 p.m. – NBC
• Oct. 28 – Martinsville – 2:30 p.m. – NBCSN
• Nov. 4 – Texas – 3:00 p.m. – NBCSN
• Nov. 11 – Phoenix – 2:30 p.m. – NBC
• Nov. 18 – Homestead – 2:30 p.m. – NBC