Warner Media LLC
07/23/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 07/23/2026 08:35
TNT Sports to Exclusively Present NASCAR In-Season Challenge Championship Round from Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, July 26
TNT Sports will present the Championship Round of the NASCAR In-Season Challenge this Sunday, July 26 at 2 p.m. on TNT, truTV and HBO Max. Ryan Blaney and Todd Gilliland will go head-to-head at the Brickyard 400 from the legendary Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Dale Earnhardt Jr., Steve Letarte and Adam Alexander will provide commentary for Sunday's race, as well as practice on Friday, July 24 at 1 p.m. and qualifying on Saturday, July 15 at 1:30 p.m., on truTV and HBO Max.
The NASCAR In-Season Challenge Championship Round will feature No. 3 seed Ryan Blaney squaring off against No. 25 seed Todd Gilliland in a classic battle between an established championship contender and a rising young talent. Blaney, ranked third in Cup Series standings and a perennial threat at every track, enters the showdown with the experience and consistency that made him one of the sport's elite drivers. Standing in his way is Gilliland, whose underdog run has become one of the biggest stories of the tournament, as the Front Row Motorsports driver looks to continue his underdog journey and pull off one final upset.
Sunday's on-site race coverage will be preceded by NASCAR Nation Pre-Race presented by Nereus at 1 p.m., hosted by Marty Smith with analysts Jimmie Johnson and Jamie McMurray, alongside Earnhardt, Jr. and Letarte.
Pit reporters Shannon Spake, Danielle Trotta and Marty Snider will be live from Pit Road throughout TNT Sports' race coverage, bringing fans live reports, exclusive insights and driver interviews. Bleacher Report Racing Correspondent Mamba Smith will also contribute to live coverage.
Additionally, the NASCAR In-Season Challenge continues to drive strong engagement across TNT Sports' platforms, delivering a cumulative 13.4 million viewers reached through the first four races, an increase of 38% compared to 2025 (9.7 million). The significant growth underscores the momentum surrounding the In-Season Challenge, which has created compelling storylines, dramatic upsets and must-watch matchups leading into Sunday's championship showdown at the Brickyard 400.
TNT Sports In-Season Challenge Coverage from Indianapolis Motor Speedway:
| DATE | TIME (ET) | PROGRAM/COMMENTATORS | NETWORK |
| Friday, July 24 | 1 p.m. |
NASCAR Cup Series Practice Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Steve Letarte & Adam Alexander |
truTV & HBO Max |
| Saturday, July 25 | 1:30 p.m. |
NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying Earnhardt, Jr., Letarte & Alexander |
truTV & HBO Max |
|
Sunday, July 26 |
1 p.m. |
NASCAR Nation Pre-Race presented by Nereus Earnhardt, Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Letarte, Jamie McMurray & Marty Smith |
TNT, truTV & HBO Max |
| ~1:30 p.m. | NASCAR Driver Cam presented by Straight Talk Wireless | HBO Max | |
| 2 p.m. |
NASCAR In-Season Challenge Championship Earnhardt, Jr., Letarte & Alexander Reporters: Shannon Spake, Danielle Trotta, Marty Snider & Mamba Smith |
TNT, truTV & HBO Max | |
| Post-Race |
NASCAR Nation Post-Race Earnhardt, Jr., Johnson, Letarte, McMurray & Smith |
TNT, truTV & HBO Max |
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