It’s an unprecedented move that will confuse NASCAR fans and have them wondering why. NASCAR announced on Thursday that The CW will broadcast the final eight races of the NASCAR Xfinity Series this year.
Currently, Fox broadcasts the Xfinity Series races in the first half of the season and NBC broadcasts the second half. Last year, as part of NASCAR’s new tv deal which starts in 2025, it was announced that The CW will be the exclusive home for the Xfinity Series and broadcast all Xfinity Series races from 2025 through 2031. The first Xfinity Series race to be broadcast on The CW will be the September 20th race at Bristol Motor Speedway. According to Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports, NBC Sports will assist The CW in production and NBC commentators Rick Allen, Steve Letarte, and Jeff Burton will call the races that air on The CW.
“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. “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.”
Brian Herbst, NASCAR Senior Vice President, Media and Productions said “We have incredible media partners who collaborate at an exceptional level to showcase the excitement of live NASCAR racing. 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.”
Even though NBC will be a part of the CW broadcasts, NASCAR having The CW begin their NASCAR deal a little early is an insult to NBC Sports. Fox didn’t get a head start before they began covering NASCAR in 2001. NBC also didn’t get a head start before their NASCAR coverage started in 2001, and ESPN didn’t get a head start before they returned to the sport in 2007. So why the hell does The CW get to have a head start on their NASCAR coverage? The CW shouldn’t be getting this head start since their NASCAR contract doesn’t start until 2025. Fox and NBC are under contract and their contract should be honored for the whole season. Even though the CW will have help from NBC, NASCAR took something that was rightly and contractually NBC’s away from NBC and that’s not right.
NASCAR needs to undo this decision and give the final eight Xfinity Series races back to NBC and have The CW begin their NASCAR coverage next year, which is the way it should be.