CW Network Takes Over NASCAR Xfinity Series Coverage in Early Deal with NBC Sports
The CW Network has announced that it will be taking over coverage of NASCAR’s second-tier Xfinity Series in mid-September at Bristol Motor Speedway. This comes as a surprise, as the network was originally scheduled to begin broadcasting the races in February 2025. NBC Sports, the previous broadcaster, worked out a deal to bow out early, allowing The CW to step in sooner than expected.
The news was met with excitement from NASCAR fans, as they can look forward to watching their favorite Xfinity Series stars on The CW starting this fall. NBC will continue to produce the race broadcasts for The CW, ensuring a seamless transition for viewers. The broadcast team, including play-by-play announcer Rick Allen and analysts Steve Letarte and Jeff Burton, will remain in place.
While NBC did not publicly disclose the reason for the early change, they had already planned on some shifts in their coverage. Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be leaving the analyst lineup, and Leigh Diffey will take over as the play-by-play announcer for Allen following this summer’s Olympics.
By relinquishing the end of the Xfinity Series season, which includes the regular-season finale and all seven playoff races, including the championship race, NBC is freeing up TV space to prioritize college football. This move allows them to focus on other sports programming while still maintaining their commitment to NASCAR.
The early partnership between The CW and NASCAR is seen as a preview of what’s to come when the full coverage begins in 2025. The CW president Dennis Miller referred to it as “an early preview” of what the Xfinity Series will bring to the network. NBC Sports president Rick Cordella stated that this was “assisting in the transition” to Xfinity for 2025.
Both networks expressed their enthusiasm for working together to deliver thrilling live NASCAR racing to fans. Brian Herbst, NASCAR senior vice president of media and productions, praised their media partners for collaborating at an exceptional level to showcase the excitement of the sport. He expressed his excitement for The CW to get a head start as the home of the NASCAR Xfinity Series with the help of NBC Sports.
Overall, this unexpected partnership between The CW and NBC Sports is great news for NASCAR fans. They can now enjoy watching the Xfinity Series on The CW earlier than anticipated, with the assurance of high-quality coverage from NBC. As the transition continues, fans can look forward to more thrilling on-track action and exciting races in the coming months.