How to watch the NASCAR Bass Pro Shops Night Race from anywhere

The Bass Pro Shops Night Race returns to Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday, September 19th, 2026, with the green flag set for 7:30PM ET. The race is the NASCAR Cup Series Round of 16 elimination event, meaning four drivers will see their championship hopes end under the lights at Thunder Valley.

Coverage is available in the US, New Zealand, and internationally, though most streams are geo-restricted. If you are traveling abroad or live in a country with limited NASCAR coverage, a VPN can help you access the stream you need. Below, we explain where to watch the race, how to watch it for free, and which VPNs work best for live sports.

When and where is the Bass Pro Shops Night Race

• Date: Saturday, September 19th, 2026
• Start time: 7:30PM ET / 4:30PM PT / 12:30AM BST (Sunday) / 9:30AM AEST (Sunday) / 11:30AM NZST (Sunday)
• Venue: Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, Tennessee
• Stakes: Round of 16 playoff elimination race

The night race at Bristol is one of the most chaotic events on the NASCAR calendar. Half a mile of high-banked concrete, 500 laps, and a playoff elimination on the line make it a must-watch. Actor Brad Pitt is also expected to attend, adding extra spotlight to an already dramatic evening.

Where to watch the Bass Pro Shops Night Race

Broadcasting rights vary by country. Here are the main options:

Country	Platform	Price	Notes
US	USA Network	Cable or live TV streaming	Also on Sling TV (from $34.99/month) and DirecTV (from $90.00/month, with a 5-day free trial)
New Zealand	ThreeNow	Free	Live via ThreeNow Sport, free account required
Canada	TSN / RDS	Paid	English and French coverage
UK	Premier Sports	Paid	Live coverage

In the US, HBO Max Driver Cam offers an in-car streaming companion for the race. Radio coverage is available on PRN and SiriusXM.

How to watch the Bass Pro Shops Night Race for free with a VPN

The Bass Pro Shops Night Race is free to stream in New Zealand on ThreeNow, the official streaming service of Three. The platform is ad-supported, so no subscription is required. However, ThreeNow is geo-restricted and only works with a New Zealand IP address. If you are in the US, UK, or anywhere outside New Zealand, you will need a VPN to access the free live stream.

1. Choose a VPN. We recommend NordVPN for streaming ThreeNow. It operates servers in New Zealand, uses the fast NordLynx protocol for smooth HD streaming, and reliably unblocks geo-restricted platforms.
2. Install the VPN app. Download and install the VPN on your device, such as a laptop, smartphone, tablet, or supported smart TV.
3. Connect to a New Zealand server. Open the app and select New Zealand to get a New Zealand IP address.
4. Go to ThreeNow. Create a free account and open the Live TV section.
5. Start streaming for free. Find ThreeNow Sport and watch the race live at 11:30AM NZST on Sunday morning, with ads.

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Why you need a VPN to watch NASCAR races

Streaming platforms like ThreeNow restrict access to viewers inside their licensed territory by checking your IP address. As a result, when trying to access the platform from outside that country (in this case, New Zealand), you will be shown an error message, such as this one:

A VPN routes your connection through a server in another country, giving you a local IP address that the platform accepts.

This is a legitimate way to access your home services while traveling or to reach official free international broadcasters. We never recommend pirated streams, which are unreliable and often unsafe.

Best VPNs for streaming the Bass Pro Shops Night Race

Not every VPN can unblock geo-restricted streams, and live sports demand fast, stable speeds. These are our top picks:

1. NordVPN – best all-rounder for live sports. It has servers in New Zealand and more than 200 other locations, and its NordLynx protocol keeps speeds high enough for buffer-free HD racing. It also offers Smart DNS for smart TVs without native VPN apps.
2. Surfshark – best budget option. One subscription covers unlimited devices, so the whole household can stream on phones, laptops, and TVs at once. It also includes servers in New Zealand.
3. Proton VPN – best pick for privacy-focused fans. Built by the team behind Proton Mail, it combines strong security with solid streaming performance and New Zealand server coverage.

All three work on Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android, and offer money-back guarantees so you can test them risk-free during race weekend.

Bass Pro Shops Night Race overview

The Bass Pro Shops Night Race is a 500-lap NASCAR Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway’s 0.533-mile, high-banked concrete oval. That adds up to 266.5 miles. The race is split into three stages, ending on laps 125, 250, and 500, so the first two stages are 125 laps each, followed by a 250-lap final stage.

Bristol has hosted NASCAR racing since 1961 and is widely known as the World’s Fastest Half-Mile. Its short, steeply banked concrete layout creates tight racing, rapid lap times, and little margin for error. The Bass Pro Shops Night Race is held under the lights, adding to the event’s reputation as one of NASCAR’s most intense short-track races. Bristol Motor Speedway describes the venue as a “super-challenging” 0.533-mile high-banked concrete oval and highlights the event’s history of memorable NASCAR moments.

This year’s race is the Round of 16 elimination race in the NASCAR Cup Series Chase. It is the final race before the playoff field is reduced from 16 drivers to 12, following the first two Round of 16 events. The Bristol weekend runs from September 17–19th, 2026, with NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series racing on Thursday, NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series racing on Friday, and the Cup Series race on Saturday night.

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