Don’t miss the final race in the NASCAR Round of 8 from Martinsville
Don’t miss the final race in the NASCAR Round of 8 from Martinsville
Catch all the action from practice to race day — here’s your full weekend viewing guide.
The 2025 Xfinity 500 goes green Sunday, Oct. 26 at 2 p.m. ET on NBC, and it’s the final race before the Championship 4 lineup is set for Phoenix. Martinsville Speedway might be the shortest track on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule, but it’s also one of the most intense. Drivers face 500 laps of tight corners, heavy braking, and plenty of frayed nerves. Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe have already clinched their spots in the Championship 4, but for everyone else, this half-mile bullring could make or break their season. You can stream all the action, including Saturday’s qualifying on truTV with 50% off a subscription to Sling TV.
How to watch 2025 NASCAR Xfinity 500
- When: Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025 at 2 p.m. ET
- TV: Race on NBC, qualifying on TruTV
- Stream: Watch with a subscription to Sling TV.
- From anywhere: Watch with a subscription to a VPN.
Everything you need to know about the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Xfinity 500
What is the broadcast schedule for the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity 500?
| Date | Time (ET) | Event | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday, Oct. 26 | 2 p.m. | Xfinity 500 | NBC |
Why we like Sling TV for watching NASCAR Xfinity 500
If your weekends are packed with NASCAR races, football, concerts, and new fall shows, Sling TV makes it easy to keep up without blowing your budget. It remains the most affordable option for streaming live TV, offering access to the major broadcast and cable networks that carry all the biggest events.
Right now, Sling is running a great deal. Normally $46 per month, but for a limited time you can get 50% off your first month, bringing it down to just $23. You can choose between Sling Orange or Sling Blue, or bundle both. The combined plan is usually $61, but with the discount, your first month drops to $30.50. Compared to most live TV streaming platforms, that’s still one of the best values around.
If you’re just trying to watch this weekend’s race or a single game, Sling also offers flexible day, weekend, and week-long passes so you can stream without a long-term commitment. Just note that NBC is available only in select markets, so check that your area is covered before signing up.
- Boston
- Chicago
- Dallas/Fort Worth
- Miami/Fort Lauderdale
- Hartford/New Haven
- Los Angeles
- New York
- Philadelphia
- San Diego
- San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose
- Washington, DC
Sling TV
Sling TV is The Streamable’s choice for cord-cutters on a budget. Sling is a live TV streaming service with multiple channel packages. The $45.99/month Sling Orange plan offers about 30 channels, including Disney Channel and ESPN. The $45.99/month Sling Blue plan offers about 40 channels, including ABC, Fox, and NBC in major markets.
You can combine Orange+Blue for a total of $60.99 / month. Sling also offers many channel add-on packages starting at $6/month.
Can you watch the NASCAR Xfinity 500 for free?
If you want to stream the Xfinity 500 without locking into a full live TV plan, several services offer free trials, though some are more reliable than others. DIRECTV STREAM, Hulu + Live TV, Fubo, and YouTube TV all provide trial options, but the length and consistency can vary.
The most dependable choice is DIRECTV STREAM, which regularly offers a clear five-day free trial. That’s plenty of time to watch the race without paying a dime. Hulu typically includes a three-day trial for new subscribers, which is also a good option if you only need coverage for race weekend.
Fubo’s trial policy can be a bit hit-or-miss. As pointed out by The Streamable’s David Satin, the duration is sometimes unclear even during sign-up. Some users only get one day, while others receive up to seven.
YouTube TV can be just as inconsistent. Although the service promotes trial periods of “up to two weeks,” some users report getting only two days which makes planning ahead a little tougher.
| DIRECTV | Fubo | Hulu | Philo | Sling TV | YouTube TV | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free Trial | Free Trial | Free 3-Day Trial | Free Trial | Save with Sling | Free Trial | |||||
| $20.99 | $9.99 | $28.99 | $25 | $19.99 | $29.99 | $45.99 | $45.99 | $64.99 | ||
| NBC | + $19 | + $11 | + $61 | - | - | ✓ | - | ✓ | ✓ | |
| truTV | + $24 | - | + $61 | - | - | - | + $6 | ✓ | ✓ | |
Watch highlights from last week’s NASCAR Cup Series Playoff race:
About 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Xfinity 500
The NASCAR Cup Series returns to Martinsville Speedway for the 2025 Xfinity 500, the final race in the Round of 8 before the Championship 4 is set for Phoenix. Known as “The Paperclip,” this 0.526-mile short track in Ridgeway, Virginia, is the smallest on the schedule but one of the toughest. Drivers will battle bumper-to-bumper for 500 laps around its flat, tight corners, where precision and patience are just as important as power.
With Denny Hamlin and Chase Briscoe already locked into the title race, the rest of the playoff field faces one last shot to advance. Martinsville has a way of amplifying pressure. Ryan Blaney has won the last two fall races here, while Hamlin, a six-time Martinsville winner, remains one of the most dominant short-track drivers in NASCAR history. Expect plenty of bumping, banging, and late-race drama as the field fights for every inch and a chance to race for the Cup in Phoenix.
How to watch the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity 500 from anywhere
If you’ll be away from home and can’t watch the 2025 NASCAR Xfinity 500 as you normally would, you can still catch all of the action no matter where you are in the world with a VPN. A VPN can be used on your phone, tablet, or computer and make you appear to be back home — even when you’re not — making sure you feel at home no matter where you are. A VPN is a safe and secure way to stay protected online while streaming your favorite sports, movies, and shows on the go. Keep in mind that you will still need to be subscribed to Sling TV in order to stream the race with a VPN.
NordVPN is one of the best providers around, at one of the best prices. I use it every single day to surf the web. Currently, you can get two full years of protection for just $3.59 per month — plus you’ll get three extra months FREE. A high-speed VPN with best-in-class security that can be used on up to 10 devices at once — what more could you ask for? Simply sign up, install the software on your device of choice, and start streaming just as you would back home. It couldn’t be easier!
While NordVPN is our recommendation for the best VPN to use while you are traveling (and my preferred option), there are a number of other high-quality options available depending on what you are looking for.
- Best Features: ExpressVPN | Starting at $5 per month
- Best Budget Option: Surfshark | Starting at $2.50 per month
- Best Free Option: Proton VPN | Free plan available