This weekend will find NASCAR drivers battling for playoff positioning during the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, Aug. 29.
The race is the final event before the Cup Series Playoffs. It'll be aired on NBC starting Saturday at 7:30 p.m. Eastern time from Daytona Beach, Fla. Like other major networks, NBC can be found on streaming services that offer local channels, such as .
Coke Zero Sugar 400 race preview
The top two racers in the Cup Series split the doubleheader last weekend at Dover International Speedway. Denny Hamlin, No. 2 in the standings, took the checkered flag at Saturday's race before Kevin Harvick solidified his position atop the standings Sunday with his seventh win this season.
There's little doubt those two will be jockeying for position again this weekend at Daytona, but perhaps more interesting will be who manages to get into the playoffs.
The top 16 drivers in the Cup Series standings move on to the playoffs, which begin Sept. 6 at Darlington Raceway. The number of drivers still in the running for the championship is then pared down until the season's final race Nov. 8.
Currently in 16th is Erik Jones driving the No. 20 Toyota, but just behind him are Tyler Reddick and Austin Dillon. Will they manage to squeak into the playoffs with a strong showing this weekend at the Coke Zero Sugar 400?
Unlike other sporting events that have gone on without fans, spectators will be in attendance at Daytona, albeit with some social distancing guidelines. The famed track is known for the running of the Daytona 500, which Hamlin won by a hair in February, marking his second straight win at that particular race. He won the race only after Ryan Newman, who was leading in the final lap, survived a violent crash that sent him to the hospital.
This weekend will mark the first race at Daytona since that event, unless you count the road course race a few weeks ago.
How to watch the Coke Zero 400
The race will be broadcast on NBC, so that's good news if you're like me and have an old-fashioned antenna and a good signal. But streaming services with local channels can get you there too.
($55 per month), and ($65 per month each) offer local channels, as does at $55 per month. Availability may differ by geography, however, so visit those services' websites and punch in your zip code to double-check that NBC will be offered.
Each of those services comes with a free trial and can be used on popular devices like and
Meanwhile, 's Blue package carries NBC in select markets. Otherwise, it's also offering a free local bundle when you prepay for three months of that service. Sling offers an Orange or a Blue package, which come at $30 per month each, or you can get both for $45 per month. Sling also offers a free trial and is available on many platforms.
The race will also be streamed on the NBC Sports App, but you'll need to authenticate a cable, satellite or telco subscription to access that.
