RICHMOND, VIRGINIA - MARCH 30: Parker Retzlaff, driver of the #31 FUNKAWAY Chevrolet, leads the ... [+]
NASCAR’s new TV package for its Xfinity series will get an earlier start than originally planned. NASCAR and the CW Network announced Thursday that the network will broadcast the final eight races of the NASCAR Xfinity series starting this September.
The move comes weeks after news leaked that Rick Allen, the main commentator for NBC Sports coverage of the NASCAR Cup series will leave the booth and be replaced by Leigh Diffey when the sport returns after a two week break for the Olympics in August. Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced in February that he would be leaving NBC as an analyst and is widely believed to be moving to Amazon Prime which will be streaming some NASCAR events starting in 2025.
Tuesday Allen was confirmed as the commentator for the Xfinity races on the CW alongside analysts Jeff Burton and Steve Letarte.
“As The CW prepares to be the new broadcast home of the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2025, we want to thank our partners at the league and at NBC Sports for welcoming the network into the NASCAR broadcast family and for the early opportunity to showcase these thrilling final eight Xfinity Series races of the season,” said Dennis Miller, President, The CW Network said in a press release. “We can’t wait to give racing fans an early preview of all the exciting action the NASCAR Xfinity Series has to offer on The CW and we look forward to establishing the network as a new destination for live motorsports.”
No reason was given for the accelerated timeline beyond giving viewers a “sneak peek” of what will come in 2025.
“We have incredible media partners who collaborate at an exceptional level to showcase the excitement of live NASCAR racing,” said Brian Herbst, NASCAR SVP, media and productions. “We’re looking forward to having The CW get a head start as the home of the NASCAR Xfinity Series with the help of NBC Sports and continuing to deliver our fans thrilling on-track action.”
The original history making deal was announced last July and marks the first time in the series’ history that all the 33 races of the series will be broadcast free, over the air broadcast television. Additional content will be provided on CW’s digital platforms.
The seven-year deal is reportedly worth $115 million a year.
One of the oldest series in the sport, prior to the mid-1990s the races were shown only sporadically shown and then only as part of the NASCAR Cup weekend races. The few standalone races shown were mainly on the now shuttered cable network TNN. The series, then known as the Busch series, picked up coverage from Fox starting in 2001 when Fox Sports covered the first half of the season. During the second half coverage went between NBS and TNT. This arrangement lasted until 2007 when ESPN became the network for the newly renamed Nationwide series with the coverage split between the ESPN networks and ABC which aired several of the races.
The series returned to the Fox, NBC arrangement in 2015 with Fox covering the first half, and NBC with some programming on the NBC Sports Network until that network shuttered in 2020 and those races moved to the USA Network.
NASCAR Xfinity Series races draw an average of approximately 1 million viewers per race each season, and the new deal will mean the series will now air on one network free over the air for the first time in its history.
“We have a great partnership with NASCAR and welcome The CW to the family of NASCAR broadcasters,” said Rick Cordella, President, NBC Sports. “This sneak peek of NASCAR Xfinity Series races will continue to feature NBC Sports’ critically acclaimed NASCAR production while assisting in the transition for fans to watch the Xfinity Series on The CW full-time in 2025.”
Below are the start times for the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series races airing on The CW this fall (all times ET). Race start times subject to change.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20
NASCAR Xfinity Series at Bristol Motor Speedway
7:00pm Pre-race coverage
7:30pm Race start
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 28
NASCAR Xfinity Series at Kansas Speedway
3:30pm Pre-race coverage
4:00pm Race start
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 5
NASCAR Xfinity Series at Talladega Superspeedway
3:30pm Pre-race coverage
4:00pm Race start
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 12
NASCAR Xfinity Series at Charlotte Roval
3:30pm Pre-race coverage
4:00pm Race start
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19
NASCAR Xfinity Series at Las Vegas Motor Speedway
7:00pm Pre-race coverage
7:30pm Race start
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26
NASCAR Xfinity Series at Homestead-Miami Speedway
3:30pm Pre-race coverage
4:00pm Race start
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 2
NASCAR Xfinity Series at Martinsville Speedway
3:30pm Pre-race coverage
4:00pm Race start
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 9
NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway
7:00pm Pre-race coverage
7:30pm Race start
