NHRA fans can watch the first three days of the U.S. Nationals for free.
For the third consecutive year, NHRA will open its livestream from the start of Wednesday qualifying through Friday night’s Sox & Martin HEMI Challenge final at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. Richmond Auctions is backing the free preview, available on NHRA.tv and NHRA’s YouTube channel.
That means two full days of Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series competition will be available before the professional categories begin working their way into the U.S. Nationals schedule Friday.
Racing begins at 8 a.m. ET Wednesday and Thursday. The stream will carry the Sportsman program both days, including Stock and Super Stock class eliminations.
The scope changes Friday.
Top Alcohol competition will be part of the coverage, along with qualifying in the JBS Equipment NHRA Pro Mod Drag Racing Series, NHRA Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown and Right Trailers Outlaw Street.
Then come the HEMI cars.
Qualifying and eliminations in the Sox & Martin HEMI Challenge will be shown through Friday’s final, scheduled for approximately 7 p.m. The annual U.S. Nationals specialty race brings together the SS/AH 1968 Dodge Dart and Plymouth Barracuda combinations that have long been one of the Sportsman highlights at Indianapolis.
There will also be a taste of the Mission Foods Drag Racing Series before the free preview ends. The opening Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle qualifying sessions are included in Friday’s coverage.
Friday’s racing begins at 9 a.m. ET.
Mike McCandless has been involved with the free-preview program for the past three seasons, with Richmond Auctions joining the effort for the first time in 2026. McCandless said the Sportsman portion of the U.S. Nationals deserves the additional exposure the stream can provide.
“It’s a pleasure to sponsor once again the NHRA live stream program during the Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals,” said McCandless, CEO of the McCandless Collection and co-owner of Richmond Auctions.
“We’ll be highlighting all the Sportsman classes Wednesday through Friday, including Stock and Super Stock Class Eliminations and, of course, the Sox & Martin HEMI Challenge.
“All these sportsman racers are the backbone of the sport we so dearly love, and they deserve the recognition.”
