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Newsweek
10 hours ago
- Automotive
- Newsweek
New Sponsor Brings Name Change to NASCAR Xfinity Series
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. NASCAR's secondary racing division, the Xfinity Series, will undergo a name change in 2026 as a result of a new sponsorship deal with O'Reilly Auto Parts. Xfinity has held the naming rights since 2015, but that will change next year to the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series. Originally launched in 1982, the No. 2 racing division below the Cup Series was called the Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series, before becoming the NASCAR Busch Grand National Series from 1984 to 2002. The name was then modified to the NASCAR Busch Series until it was taken over by Nationwide in 2008. It was then rebranded to the NASCAR Nationwide Series until 2014. The Xfinity Series has witnessed an impressive viewership growth of around 17 percent in the first year of its partnership with The CW Network, averaging 1.1 million viewers in each race. Now, NASCAR announced a multi-year deal with Missouri-based O'Reilly Auto Parts, which sponsored races for several years. NASCAR President Steve O'Donnell said in a statement: Harrison Burton, driver of the #25 AirBox Ford, Christian Eckes, driver of the #16 Celsius Chevrolet, and Nick Sanchez, driver of the #48 Borchetta Bourbon Chevrolet, race during the NASCAR Xfinity Series Mission 200 at... Harrison Burton, driver of the #25 AirBox Ford, Christian Eckes, driver of the #16 Celsius Chevrolet, and Nick Sanchez, driver of the #48 Borchetta Bourbon Chevrolet, race during the NASCAR Xfinity Series Mission 200 at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on August 09, 2025 in Watkins Glen, New York. More"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. 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 President Brent Kirby added: "Our company is rooted in the same values that define NASCAR — teamwork, enthusiasm and dedication. You'll see those in action when our customers walk through our doors. We know they need fast service, and Team O'Reilly will get them the parts they need quickly, with excellent customer service. We welcome all fans to stop by our stores and see how our team can help keep them running." Hugo Sanchez, O'Reilly Auto Parts vice president of advertising and marketing, said: "Partnering with NASCAR and The CW at this level enables us to further deepen our connection to one of the most loyal fanbases in all of sports. This agreement builds on our long-term involvement in NASCAR and our dedication to the fans who love cars as much as we do." The CW will continue to broadcast the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series next year. Commenting on the new deal, Brad Schwartz, President of The CW Network, said: "The success of NASCAR on The CW has shown that millions of fans will consistently tune in for these adrenaline-fueled races every week. "This exciting new partnership with O'Reilly Auto Parts gives us the opportunity to expand that reach even further by tapping into our mutually strong presence in local communities nationwide and continuing to grow our passionate audience in the years to come."
Newsweek
05-05-2025
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Chase Elliott Under Scrutiny as NASCAR Insider Launches Critical Assessment
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Hendrick Motorsports driver Chase Elliott's recent performance has come under the scrutiny of NASCAR insider Jordan Bianchi of The Athletic. Elliott made history by winning the 2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series championship as the first rookie and the youngest driver to clinch the title. After moving to the Cup Series with a full-time seat in 2016, Elliott continued to impress and secured his first Cup Series championship at 24 years old in 2020. In his Cup Series career so far, Elliott has won 19 races in 322 starts. However, some argue that his recent performances, although consistent, are not showing the dominance he previously enjoyed in his championship-winning season. During the latest episode of The Teardown podcast (below), Bianchi stated: Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, waits on the grid during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series Würth 400 at Texas Motor Speedway on May 03, 2025 in Fort Worth, Texas. Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet, waits on the grid during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series Würth 400 at Texas Motor Speedway on May 03, 2025 in Fort Worth, Texas."We need to have a Chase Elliott conversation. "Since the start of the 2023 season, the Wood Brothers have more wins than Chase Elliott does. That's crazy to think about. That's no disrespect to the Wood Brothers, that's just the reality of the situation. "They have two wins. Chase Elliott has one points win since the start of the 2023 season. That's crazy to think about. This is again becoming a typical, what I would associate with a typical Chase Elliott year. They run just well enough. "You look at their average finish, you know, that kind of thing, and they grind out these finishes, and that's good, and it keeps them up in the point standings. He's fourth in points. "Okay, that's good, but that's not good enough for this team. You look at laps-led this year, Kyle Larson and William Byron are first and second. Alex Bowman is ninth. Chase Elliott, 15th. 45 laps-led this year. This team should be better. It needs to be better." Commenting on the race at Texas Motor Speedway, in which Elliott finished in 16th, Bianchi continued: "On a race track where this is tailor-made for Hendrick Motorsports. We saw that today with the No. 5. Obviously, the No. 24 was up there too, until they had pit road damage. Bowman was in the mix. Elliot, they needed a tire gamble to get that track position. It wasn't like they had sheer speed. There's just, fundamentally, something is missing with this team. It's been missing for a while. Kudos to them for grinding it out and finding a way week after week to get top 10s, and that kind of thing. "Led the series in average finish last year, and that's great, but they are not winning enough. They're not leading enough laps. They're not getting stage wins enough. This team is falling short of the expectations. Now, that's a real high bar, but they're not even close to meeting that."
