The NASCAR Cup Series is rolling into thunder country this weekend as drivers get set to battle it out in the Food City 500 at the iconic Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee.
At just over half a mile per lap, the short track will demand 500 laps of white-knuckle racing, totaling 266.5 miles of pure chaos. With the concrete surface chewing up rubber like a kid with bubble gum, tire management will be the name of the game — again.
Speaking of which, Denny Hamlin wrote the playbook on that last spring. Despite the tire compound eating away at wheels like a termite buffet, Hamlin kept his cool, played the long game, and ended up leading 163 laps on his way to the checkered flag.
As things stand heading into Bristol, William Byron’s holding the keys to the top spot in the standings, with Hamlin breathing down his neck in second and Christopher Bell rounding out the top three.
The Sporting News has everything you need to know about the Food City 500, including TV Channel, streaming options, radio station and starting grid.
What time does the NASCAR race start today?
- Track: Bristol Motor Speedway (0.533-mile road course) in Bristol, Tennessee
- Date: Sunday, April 13
- Time: 3:00 p.m. ET or 12:00 p.m. PT
- Length: 500 laps, 266.5 miles | Stages: 125 laps, 250 laps, 500 laps
The Bristol Race is scheduled to start at 3:00 p.m. ET on Sunday, April 13. The race will be held at Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee.
What channel is NASCAR on today?
- TV channel: FS1
- Live stream: Fubo
The Food City 500 will be broadcast nationally on FS1 in the United States. Streaming options include the FOX Sports app.
NASCAR fans can also stream the race on Fubo. Test out Fubo with a seven-day FREE trial, and start streaming elite sports action live online and on-demand for free.
Fubo offers a free trial for new subscribers, so you can try the service before you buy. Stream ESPN, ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC and 200+ top channels of live TV and sports without cable. (Participating plans only. Taxes and fees may apply.)
NASCAR radio station for Food City 500
Listen to the 2025 Food City 500 at Bristol and every race of the NASCAR season on SiriusXM.
New subscribers can enjoy SiriusXM for free for four months. Listen to live NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL games, plus NASCAR, college sports and more. Stay updated with all the news and get all the analysis on multiple sport-specific channels.
NASCAR Bristol starting lineup 2025
| Starting Pos. | Driver | Car No. | Team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Alex Bowman | 48 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 2. | Ricky Stenhouse Jr | 47 | HYAK Motorsports |
| 3. | Kyle Larson | 5 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 4. | Denny Hamlin | 11 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 5. | Ryan Blaney | 12 | Team Penske |
| 6. | Ty Gibbs | 54 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 7. | Christopher Bell | 20 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 8. | AJ Allmendinger | 16 | Kaulig Racing |
| 9. | Carson Hocevar | 77 | Spire Motorsports |
| 10. | Justin Haley | 7 | Spire Motorsports |
| 11. | Josh Berry | 21 | Wood Brothers Racing |
| 12. | Ty Dillon | 10 | Kaulig Racing |
| 13. | Michael McDowell | 71 | Spire Motorsports |
| 14. | Chase Briscoe | 19 | Joe Gibbs Racing |
| 15. | Kyle Busch | 8 | Richard Childress Racing |
| 16. | Brad Keselowski | 6 | RFK Racing |
| 17. | Austin Dillon | 3 | Richard Childress Racing |
| 18. | Zane Smith | 38 | Front Row Motorsports |
| 19. | Jesse Love | 33 | Richard Childress Racing |
| 20. | Chase Elliott | 9 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 21. | Austin Cindric | 2 | Team Penske |
| 22. | Bubba Wallace | 23 | 23XI Racing |
| 23. | Daniel Suarez | 99 | Trackhouse Racing |
| 24. | Chris Buescher | 17 | RFK Racing |
| 25. | Riley Herbst | 35 | 23XI Racing |
| 26. | William Byron | 24 | Hendrick Motorsports |
| 27. | Tyler Reddick | 45 | 23XI Racing |
| 28. | Erik Jones | 43 | Legacy Motor Club |
| 29. | Ryan Preece | 60 | RFK Racing |
| 30. | Todd Gilliland | 34 | Front Row Motorsports |
| 31. | Noah Gragson | 4 | Front Row Motorsports |
| 32. | John Hunter Nemechek | 42 | Legacy Motor Club |
| 33. | Cole Custer | 41 | Haas Factory Team |
| 34. | Cody Ware | 51 | Rick Ware Racing |
| 35. | Ross Chastain | 1 | Trackhouse Racing |
| 36. | Shane van Gisbergen | 88 | Trackhouse Racing |
| 37. | Corey LaJoie | 01 | Rick Ware Racing |
| 38. | Joey Logano | 22 | Team Penske |
| 39. | Josh Bilicki | 66 | Garage 66 |
NASCAR point standings 2025
Below are the updated standings ahead of NASCAR at Bristol.
| Rank | Driver | Points |
| 1 | William Byron | 315 |
| 2 | Denny Hamlin | 266 |
| 3 | Christopher Bell | 263 |
| 4 | Chase Elliott | 256 |
| 5 | Tyler Reddick | 254 |
| 6 | Kyle Larson | 244 |
| 7 | Ryan Blaney | 236 |
| 8 | Bubba Wallace | 233 |
| 9 | Joey Logano | 232 |
| 10 | Alex Bowman | 227 |
NASCAR Cup Series schedule 2025
(All times Eastern)
| Date | Race | Track | Time | TV/Winner |
| Apr. 13 | Food City 500 | Bristol Motor Speedway | 3 p.m. | FS1, Fubo |
| Apr. 27 | Jack Link’s 500 | Talladega Superspeedway | 3 p.m. | FS1, Fubo |
| May 4 | Wurth 400 | Texas Motor Speedway | 3:30 p.m. | FS1, Fubo |
| May 11 | AdventHealth 400 | Kansas Speedway | 3 p.m. | FS1, Fubo |
| May 18 | NASCAR All-Star Open | North Wilkesboro Speedway | 5:30 p.m. | FS1, Fubo |
| May 18 | NASCAR All-Star Race | North Wilkesboro Speedway | 8 p.m. | FS1, Fubo |
| May 25 | Coca-Cola 600 | Charlotte Motor Speedway | 6 p.m. | Prime |
| Jun. 1 | NASCAR Cup Series Race at Nashville | Nashville Superspeedway | 7 p.m. | Prime |
| Jun. 8 | Firekeepers Casino 400 | Michigan International Speedway | 2 p.m. | Prime |
| Jun. 15 | NASCAR Cup Series Race at Mexico City | Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez | 3 p.m. | Prime |
| Jun. 22 | NASCAR Cup Series Race at Pocono | Pocono Raceway | 2 p.m. | Prime |
| Jun. 28 | Quaker State 400 | Atlanta Motor Speedway | 7 p.m. | TNT, Sling |
| Jul. 6 | Grant Park 165 | Chicago Street Race | 2 p.m. | TNT, Sling |
| Jul. 13 | Toyota/Save Mart 350 | Sonoma Raceway | 3:30 p.m. | TNT, Sling |
| Jul. 20 | Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 400 | Dover Motor Speedway | 2 p.m. | TNT, Sling |
| Jul. 27 | Brickyard 400 | Indianapolis Motor Speedway | 2 p.m. | TNT, Sling |
| Aug. 3 | Iowa Corn 350 | Iowa Speedway | 3:30 p.m. | USA, Fubo |
| Aug. 10 | Go Bowling at The Glen | Watkins Glen International | 2 p.m. | USA, Fubo |
| Aug. 16 | Cook Out 400 | Richmond Raceway | 7:30 p.m. | USA, Fubo |
| Aug. 23 | Coke Zero Sugar 400 | Daytona International Speedway | 7:30 p.m. | NBC, Fubo |
NASCAR Cup Series playoff race schedule 2025
(All times Eastern)
| Date | Race | Track | Time | TV/Winner |
| Aug. 31 | Southern 500 | Darlington Raceway | 6 p.m. | USA, Fubo |
| Sep. 7 | Enjoy Illinois 300 | World Wide Technology Raceway | 3 p.m. | USA, Fubo |
| Sep. 13 | Bass Pro Shops Night Race | Bristol Motor Speedway | 7:30 p.m. | USA, Fubo |
| Sep. 21 | NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Race at New Hampshire | New Hampshire Motor Speedway | 2 p.m. | USA, Fubo |
| Sep. 28 | Hollywood Casino 400 | Kansas Speedway | 3 p.m. | USA, Fubo |
| Oct. 5 | Bank of America ROVAL 400 | Road Course | 3 p.m. | USA, Fubo |
| Oct. 12 | South Point 400 | Las Vegas Motor Speedway | 5:30 p.m. | USA, Fubo |
| Oct. 19 | NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Race at Talladega | Talladega Superspeedway | 2 p.m. | NBC, Fubo |
| Oct. 26 | NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Race at Martinsville | Martinsville Speedway | 2 p.m. | NBC, Fubo |
| Nov. 2 | NASCAR Cup Series Championship | Phoenix Raceway | 3 p.m. | NBC, Fubo |
