If you’re waking up on this Saturday, January 17, 2026, with that familiar itch for high-octane chaos, you’re in luck. The racing world is currently split between the sandy dunes of Saudi Arabia and the dirt-slicked concrete of an indoor arena in Oklahoma. It’s a wild contrast. Honestly, it’s the kind of day where you can watch the most grueling endurance test on the planet in the morning and arguably the most intense sprint races ever conceived by the time the sun goes down.
You’re probably here for the specifics. "What time and channel is the race today?" is a question with a few different answers depending on whether you want the midget cars or the rally trucks. We’ve got the grand finale of the Dakar Rally wrapping up its massive 8,000-kilometer journey, and we have the legendary "Championship Saturday" at the Chili Bowl Nationals.
Here is exactly how to find the action without scrolling through a thousand dead-end TV guide menus.
Chili Bowl Nationals: The Golden Driller Showdown
Today is the big one. After a full week of qualifying nights that saw over 350 drivers battle it out, we are finally at the "Alphabet Soup" stage of the 2026 Chili Bowl Nationals. This isn't just one race; it’s a marathon of short, violent sprints that starts in the morning and culminates in the A-Main late tonight.
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If you’re looking for the broadcast, it’s not on your standard cable package. Basically, you’ve got to head to FloRacing. They have the exclusive rights to the whole thing.
The Saturday Schedule (All Times Central)
- 9:00 a.m. CT: Feature Hot Laps begin. This is when the early "M-Mains" and "L-Mains" start warming up.
- 10:00 a.m. CT: The first races of the day take the green flag. We start deep in the alphabet. If you want to see the real "scrappers" trying to pull off a miracle run from the O-Main to the A-Main, this is your time.
- 6:30 p.m. CT: Opening Ceremonies. This is when the energy in the SageNet Center in Tulsa reaches a fever pitch.
- 7:00 p.m. CT onwards: The "Pole Shuffle" and the upper-tier Mains (C, B, and finally the A-Main).
You’ve got heavy hitters like Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell likely lurking near the front of the grid tonight. Larson is actually coming in as the defending champion after his 2025 win, looking to add a fourth Golden Driller to his mantle.
The A-Main usually doesn't take the green flag until well after 10:00 p.m. local time, so grab some coffee. It’s a long night of dirt tossing.
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The Dakar Rally 2026 Finale: Glory in Yanbu
While Tulsa is just getting started, the 2026 Dakar Rally has just reached its staggering conclusion in Saudi Arabia. This morning (January 17), the final 105-kilometer Special Stage into Yanbu finished up.
If you’re looking for "The Race" on TV for Dakar, it’s mostly highlight-based in the States. CNBC and Peacock have been the go-to spots for the daily 30-minute or hour-long wrap-up shows. Usually, these air in the early evening or late night (around 11:00 p.m. ET), but because today is the final podium, check Peacock for the full Stage 13 replay and the podium celebrations.
What Happened? (Spoiler Alert)
It was a "Yan-believable" finish. Nasser Al-Attiyah just secured his sixth career Dakar title, driving for Dacia. He managed to hold off the Ford Raptors of Nani Roma and Mattias Ekström.
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On the bike side, we saw one of the closest finishes in the history of the sport. Luciano Benavides edged out American Ricky Brabec by a mere 2 seconds after nearly 50 hours of racing. Think about that. Two seconds after 8,000 kilometers.
Other Racing to Keep on Your Radar
If you were hoping for NASCAR Cup Series or Formula 1 today, you're a bit early.
- NASCAR: The 2026 Cup season doesn't officially kick off until the Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium on February 1st. Right now, the teams are in the shop or, in the case of guys like Kyle Larson and Ty Gibbs, they're currently at the Chili Bowl.
- IMSA: We are actually in the middle of the Roar Before the Rolex 24 at Daytona. Today, Saturday the 17th, features practice sessions and the VP Racing SportsCar Challenge (Race 1 of 2) at 1:55 p.m. ET. You can catch most of this testing and support race action on Peacock.
- Formula 1: They are still in the winter break. Pre-season testing in Barcelona doesn't start until January 26.
How to Watch if You’re "Cord-Cutting"
Since most of today’s "live" racing is on niche platforms, here’s the quick breakdown of what you need:
- FloRacing: Mandatory for the Chili Bowl. There’s no way around it. It’s a subscription service, but for dirt fans, it's pretty much the holy grail.
- Peacock: This is your hub for the IMSA Roar testing and the Dakar highlights. It's also where the Rolex 24 will live next weekend.
- YouTube: Often, the official Dakar channel or the Chili Bowl's social media will post clips and "behind the scenes" stuff almost immediately. If you don't want to pay for the full stream, this is your best bet for keeping up.
Honestly, the Chili Bowl is the move today. There is something fundamentally "human" about watching 350+ drivers in a building that smells like methanol and corn dogs, all fighting for a trophy of a guy holding a drill.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Download the FloSports App: If you plan on watching the Chili Bowl, do this now and test your login. The servers get hammered right before the A-Main.
- Set a Peacock Reminder: For the IMSA practice sessions if you want to see the new GTP prototypes shaking down before the Rolex 24.
- Check the Weather: If you're actually in Tulsa, it's indoor, but the line to get into the SageNet Center is legendary—dress in layers.
That’s the "what time and channel is the race today" situation for January 17, 2026. Enjoy the dirt and the dunes.