The headline dropped recently: NASCAR has laid out its 2026 schedule and network assignments, and among the most eye-catching items is the note that playoff races are in bold, with a clear line in the official news release stating that “USA Sports is home to the entire NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.” This is not just a timing schedule; it’s a deliberate positioning of NASCAR’s most crucial postseason moments into a newly-branded sports network framework. The fact that NASCAR is being held up as a marquee property within USA Sports is big news.

For context, USA Sports is a brand under Versant Media that will cover an expansive portfolio of sports, everything from the Premier League and PGA Tour to the WNBA, WWE and, yes, NASCAR. The announcement suggests that NASCAR sees this as both a commer

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