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Cup Series playoff elimination race highlights NBC Sports coverage from Bristol this weekend

It’s an elimination race! Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn., hosts the third and final race in the NASCAR Cup Series’ Round of 16 playoffs this Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET on USA Network. A 30-minute Countdown to Green Saturday at 7 p.m. ET on USA Network leads into live race coverage.

After narrowly missing out on the playoffs, Chris Buescher won in thrilling overtime fashion last week in Watkins Glen, his first Cup Series victory of the year. The top five finishers were all non-playoff drivers, with Chase Briscoe, who finished in sixth, leading the playoff drivers. Bristol will be the final Round of 16 playoff race, with four drivers being eliminated on Saturday. Christopher Bell leads the Playoff points standings with 2,089 points, followed by Austin Cindric, Joey Logano, who clinched his spot in the Round of 12 following his win in Atlanta, Alex Bowman, and Daniel Suarez rounding out the top five.

Chase Briscoe and Ty Gibbs currently sit in the final two playoff spots, with Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, Martin Truex Jr., and Harrison Burton below the cutoff line leading into the final Round of 16 race.

Coverage from Bristol begins this Friday on USA Network with Xfinity Series qualifying at 2 p.m. ET followed by Cup Series qualifying at 4 p.m. ET, with both windows on USA Network.

21-time Cup Series race winner and “The Mayor” of NASCAR Jeff Burton and Daytona 500-winning crew chief Steve Letarte will serve as analysts this weekend from Bristol Motor Speedway with Leigh Diffey serving as play-by-play. Marty Snider, Kim Coon, Dillon Welch, and Parker Kligerman will serve as pit reporters.

Snider will host pre- and post-race coverage alongside former NASCAR driver Kyle Petty and NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Jarrett, who won this race in 1997.

REMINDER: The final eight races of the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ 2024 season will be presented on The CW, beginning with this Saturday’s Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway at 7:30 p.m. ET. The race will be called by NBC Sports’ Rick Allen, Jeff Burton, and Steve Letarte.

BROADCAST TEAM

  • Play by Play: Leigh Diffey
  • Analyst: Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte
  • Reporters: Marty Snider, Kim Coon, Dillon Welch, Parker Kligerman

STUDIO COVERAGE TEAM

  • Host: Marty Snider
  • Analysts: Kyle Petty, Dale Jarrett

HOW TO WATCH

  • TV – USA Network
  • Streaming – NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app
Date Coverage Platform(s) Time (ET)
Fri., Sept. 20 NASCAR Xfinity Series Qualifying USA Network 2 p.m.
NASCAR Cup Series Victory Lane Review – Watkins Glen USA Network 3:30 p.m.
NASCAR Cup Series Qualifying USA Network 4 p.m.
Sat., Sept. 21 Countdown to Green – NASCAR Cup Series USA Network 7 p.m.
NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops Night Race USA Network 7:30 p.m.
NASCAR Cup Series – Post-Race USA Network 10:30 p.m.

— NBC Sports —