The wait for NASCAR 26 is almost over. After several days of Early Access for Gold Edition owners, the latest NASCAR game is getting ready for its full release.

NASCAR 26 officially launches on September 18, 2026, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC, opening the track to Standard Edition players for the first time.

With the global release almost here, one of the biggest questions is simple: What time can you start playing NASCAR 26? Here is what we know about the launch time and when players should be able to get behind the wheel.

What Time Does NASCAR 26 Release?

The PlayStation Store lists the NASCAR 26 Standard Edition release for 12:00 a.m. EDT on September 18.

Based on that confirmed PlayStation unlock time, here is when the game becomes available across U.S. time zones:

Eastern Time: September 18 at 12:00 a.m. EDT

Central Time: September 17 at 11:00 p.m. CDT

Mountain Time: September 17 at 10:00 p.m. MDT

Pacific Time: September 17 at 9:00 p.m. PDT

That means players in several U.S. time zones won’t have to wait until September 18 on their local clocks to start playing.

What About Xbox and Steam?

PlayStation provides the clearest confirmation of the NASCAR 26 Standard Edition release time. An exact launch time has not been displayed as clearly for Xbox Series X|S and Steam.

However, NASCAR 26 Early Access ultimately went live across platforms, and it would not be surprising to see the full release follow the same general schedule as PlayStation.

For now, 12:00 a.m. EDT on September 18 is confirmed for PlayStation, while Xbox and Steam players should check their storefront or game library for the final countdown and platform-specific unlock time.

NASCAR 26 Global Release Date and Platforms

The full release brings NASCAR 26 to players who skipped the Gold Edition and its three-day Early Access period.

Here are the key launch details:

Global release date: September 18, 2026

PlayStation release time: 12:00 a.m. EDT

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC

Early Access: Began September 15 for Gold Edition owners

Players should make sure NASCAR 26 is downloaded and ready ahead of the unlock if their platform allows preloading.

Early Access gave Gold Edition owners a head start, but September 18 marks the full launch of NASCAR 26. With the release now just hours away, it won’t be long before everyone can finally hit the track.