O'Reilly Auto Parts replacing Xfinity as series sponsor
NASCAR announced a multiyear partnership on Monday that will become effective on Jan. 1.
"Like the great sport of NASCAR, O'Reilly Auto Parts was born in America and built on the hard work and drive of passionate people," NASCAR president Steve O'Donnell said in a statement. "This new partnership allows us to continue to fuel that passion for the next generation of NASCAR's stars and fans while celebrating the journey we've been on together for decades."
O'Reilly Auto Parts, founded in Missouri in 1957, has sponsored NASCAR races for several years across multiple series and tracks.
"Our company is rooted in the same values that define NASCAR -- teamwork, enthusiasm and dedication," O'Reilly Auto Parts president Brent Kirby said in a statement.
The NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series marks the fourth sponsorship in the second-tier series' history.
Before Xfinity (2015-25), it was the NASCAR Nationwide Series from 2008-14. Anheuser-Busch was the title sponsor for decades before that as the NASCAR Busch Series (2003-07), the NASCAR Busch Grand National Series (1984-2002) and the Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series (1982-83).
The NASCAR Xfinity Series, in its first year of an exclusive broadcasting deal with The CW Network, has seen a year-over-year growth of more than 17 percent in total viewership this season, according to NASCAR. The series is averaging 1.1 million viewers per race.
"The success of NASCAR on The CW has shown that millions of fans will consistently tune in for these adrenaline-fueled races every week," Brad Schwartz, president of The CW Network, said in a statement.
--Field Level Media
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