NASCAR has not appeared on a CBS-branded network since the 2000 season, but amid a new report of a potential merger of sports networks, fans are asking if the sport could return to CBS.
NASCAR and CBS Sports have a long history dating back to the 1970s. In fact, for nearly 30 years, the network played host to the Daytona 500, including iconic moments like the 1979 finish and Dale Earnhardt’s 1998 win.
But since the sport’s first major media rights deal, which began with the 2001 season, the sport and CBS have not partnered, with FOX, FOX Sports, NBC, ESPN, TNT Sports, and The CW holding the rights to at least one of the three NASCAR National Series since 2001.
This isn’t to say the network isn’t interested in motorsports, as it carried the first two seasons of the spec SRX series.
The reasons why CBS has not returned to the NASCAR scene could be a number of things, including its major presence in college basketball in the spring and NFL broadcasting in the latter half of the year.
Nonetheless, the brand could find its way back to broadcasting NASCAR through a roundabout method, as a new report from John Ourand of Puck News has NASCAR fans talking.
In his report, Ourand says that, pending the finalization of the merger between TNT parent company Warner Bros. Discovery and CBS Sport parent company Paramount Skydance, TNT Sports will merge into CBS Sports during Q3 (July to September), “If all goes according to plan.”
Though this report is making the rounds in other sports communities for a number of reasons, the NASCAR community has taken interest in these talks, as TNT Sports, through Warner Bros. Discovery, has the exclusive rights to five NASCAR Cup Series races, Practice/Qualifying Sessions for the second half of the season, and in-car cameras via HBOMAX until the 2031 season.
While CBS and TNT have yet to confirm any official merger date or timeline, this discussion is leaving NASCAR fans with more questions than answers, as it is unclear what could happen to the five races, on-track sessions, and driver cameras if a merger goes through.
While most are pointing to the possibility of NASCAR races ending up on the main CBS network, others are quick to point out that the brand has its own cable channel, CBS Sports Network, that could take over the five races, leaving them exclusive to streaming and cable.
Of course, for now, all fans can do is speculate, as not only is the merger of TNT Sports and CBS Sports unconfirmed, but the proposed merger of Warner Bros. Discovery and Paramount Skydance is still not finalized.
WBD is awaiting approval from its shareholders, with a Special Meeting of Shareholders on April 23, 2026, and, most importantly, both are awaiting regulatory approval to complete the billion-dollar merger.
What do you think about this? Let us know your opinion on Discord or X. Don’t forget that you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.
