NBC Daytona Affiliate Chooses Tom Brady, Over NASCAR Finale ... At Daytona

NASCAR's regular season finale, the Coke Zero Sugar 400, takes place from Daytona International Speedway on Saturday night. Live in Daytona and wanna watch NASCAR's finale? Better find a TV Guide. Rather than broadcast the race, NBC has chosen Tom Brady.  WESH, Central Florida's longtime NBC affiliate in Daytona Beach, has decided to air the Tampa Bay Bucs' final preseason game Saturday night instead of the Coke Zero Sugar 400. Saturday's race will set the playoff field for NASCAR's 10-race postseason. Why choose a meaningless preseason game instead of what is arguably NASCAR's biggest race since the Daytona 500? Brady, of course. After a mysterious two-week absence, Brady returned to the Bucs this week and will start Saturday's preseason finale against Indianapolis. That was enough of a draw, evidently, to convince NBC to take the Cup race away from NASCAR's hometown affiliate.

Tom Brady will make his preseason debut Saturday. (Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

How To Watch The Coke Zero Sugar 400 At Daytona

For those NASCAR fans in Daytona - I hear a couple of them reside there - the Coke Zero Sugar 400 will now be shown on CW18, WKCF. And it's not just the Daytona NBC affiliate who will be dealing with NFL-NASCAR crossover issues. Other markets choosing the NFL over NASCAR include Baltimore, Harrisburg (Pa.), Phoenix, Tampa, Philadelphia and Washington.

The Coke Zero Sugar 400 won't be shown on NBC in Daytona. (Photo by Roy K. Miller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Coke Zero Sugar 400 is set to go green shortly after 7 p.m. and will also be available on NBC's streaming app and Peacock. The 26th and final race of the NASCAR regular season will set the 16-driver field for the playoffs, which begin next week at Darlington. Chase Elliott has already wrapped up the regular season championship, while Martin Truex Jr. is currently the first driver outside the playoff cutline.