It's that time of year again. The caffeine is brewing, the prototypes are screaming, and your living room is about to become a 24-hour command center. If you're trying to figure out what channel is the Rolex 24 on for the 2026 season, you've probably noticed that things are a little different this year. Gone are the days of just flipping to one sports channel and leaving it there for a full day.
NBC Sports still holds the keys to the kingdom, but they've spread the coverage across a few different spots. Honestly, it's a bit of a jigsaw puzzle. You've got the big NBC broadcast network, the Peacock streaming service, and the newly relaunched NBCSN making appearances. If you don't want to stare at a "commercial break" screen for half the night, you need a plan.
The Short Answer: Where to Watch the 2026 Rolex 24
If you just want the quick "get me to the race" info, here is the deal: Peacock is your best friend. It is the only place in the United States providing flag-to-flag, uninterrupted (mostly) coverage of all 24 hours.
For the traditional TV crowd, the 64th running of the Rolex 24 at Daytona starts on NBC (your local affiliate) on Saturday, January 24, 2026. The green flag drops at 1:40 PM ET, but the NBC broadcast usually kicks off at 1:30 PM ET to show you the pre-race grid walk and the "Drivers, start your engines" moment.
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But here is the catch. NBC only stays for the first hour. After that, they go to other programming, and you have to switch.
The 2026 TV and Streaming Schedule
- Saturday, Jan 24 (Start): 1:30 PM – 2:30 PM ET on NBC.
- Saturday Night & Sunday Morning: Everything moves exclusively to Peacock.
- Sunday, Jan 25 (The Finish): 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM ET back on NBC.
Wait, what about the hours in between? NBC used to shove a lot of the middle-night hours onto USA Network. In 2026, they are leaning heavily into the "Peacock basket." However, the relaunched NBCSN is also simulstreaming select portions of the race. If you have a cable package with the new NBCSN, check your guide around the midnight to 6:00 AM window, but don't count on it for the whole thing.
Why the Broadcast "Bounce" Happens
You might be wondering why they can't just keep it on one channel. It's basically a math problem. Between local news, other sports, and paid programming, a single network channel can't easily block out 26 straight hours of airtime.
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Peacock is where the "hardcore" fans live. If you’re the type of person who wants to see what’s happening in the LMP2 class at 4:00 AM while most of Florida is asleep, you need the app. The commentary team, led by the legendary Leigh Diffey alongside Calvin Fish and Brian Till, stays on the call, but the platform you’re watching them on will change.
What Most People Get Wrong About "Flag-to-Flag"
"Flag-to-flag" is a term the networks love to throw around. In theory, it means they show the whole race. In reality, on broadcast TV, it means they show the start and the finish and tell you to go somewhere else for the "boring" parts in the middle.
If you're watching on the standard NBC channel, you’re going to get a lot of "human interest" stories. You know the ones—interviews with team owners, segments about the history of the Rolex watch, and maybe a piece on what the drivers eat. If you want pure, raw racing and the sound of those GTP hybrid engines without a narrator talking over them, the international feed is often better, but that’s hard to get in the States without some digital gymnastics.
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The VPN "Secret"
A lot of fans on Reddit and racing forums swear by using a VPN. If you set your location to somewhere outside the US (like the UK or the Bahamas), you can often watch the IMSA.tv or IMSA YouTube stream for free. These streams usually have the Radio Le Mans commentary crew, which many purists prefer because they talk less about "storylines" and more about "brake rotor temperatures."
What Classes Are We Even Watching?
It's not just one race; it's four races happening at the same time. This is what makes Daytona so chaotic and beautiful.
- GTP (Grand Touring Prototype): These are the spaceships. They have hybrid engines and represent the top manufacturers like Acura, BMW, Cadillac, and Porsche. This is where the overall winner comes from.
- LMP2: The "pro-am" prototype class. They look similar to GTPs but are slightly slower and don't have the hybrid tech.
- GTD Pro: Factory-backed sports cars like the Corvette Z06 GT3.R and the Ford Mustang GT3. This is where the "car wars" happen.
- GTD: The same cars as GTD Pro, but with a mix of professional and "bronze-rated" amateur drivers.
Watching the faster GTP cars try to weave through the slower GTD traffic on the high banks of Daytona at 190 mph in the middle of a rainstorm is basically the peak of motorsports.
Actionable Steps to Prep for Race Day
Don't wait until 1:30 PM on Saturday to realize you forgot your password or your subscription expired.
- Check your Peacock login now. Make sure you have the "Premium" or "Premium Plus" tier. The free version won't show the race.
- Download the IMSA App. It has live timing and scoring. Sometimes the TV broadcast misses a pit stop or a penalty, and the live timing will tell you exactly why a car suddenly dropped five spots.
- Sync your audio. If you find the NBC commentators a bit too "casual," mute the TV and pull up the Radio Le Mans (IMSARadio.com) audio feed. It takes a second to sync the delay, but it’s the gold standard for endurance racing.
- Watch the Roar first. The "Roar Before the 24" (Jan 16-18) is the official test and qualifying weekend. It’s usually streamed on Peacock and IMSA.tv and gives you a great idea of who actually has the pace this year.
The Rolex 24 isn't just a race; it's a test of who can stay awake the longest and make the fewest mistakes. Whether you're watching the start on NBC or grinding out the 3:00 AM shift on Peacock, you're in for a wild ride.
Key Next Steps
- Ensure your Peacock Premium subscription is active by January 22nd to catch qualifying.
- Locate NBCSN on your channel guide if you have a cable or satellite provider to see if you have access to the supplemental simulcasts.
- Print out a spotter guide from the official IMSA website so you can tell the difference between the eleven different Porsche 911s on track.