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THE NASCAR XFINITY SERIES CONCLUDES FIRST FULL YEAR ON THE CW NETWORK WITH MOST-WATCHED SEASON IN FOUR YEARS
Viewership Averaged More Than One Million Total Viewers Per Week for 33 Races
Total Audience Increased 10 Percent Compared to Previous Year
Championship Race in Phoenix Drew 1,015,000 Total Viewers
BURBANK, CA (November 5, 2025) - The NASCAR Xfinity Series reached the finish line of its 2025 season on Saturday, November 1, with a thrilling championship race from Phoenix Raceway, wrapping its first full season on The CW Network as the most-watched in four years. Through 33 races, the NASCAR Xfinity Series averaged 1,034,000 total viewers per week, according to Nielsen, an increase of 10 percent compared to last season, as well as a seven percent gain in adults ages 18-49. The championship race, which saw Jesse Love emerge as the season winner, drew 1,015,000 total viewers and peaked at 1,191,000 total viewers from 9:30-9:45pm ET.
"Over the course of its first year on The CW, the NASCAR Xfinity Series has helped transform the network into a premium destination for sports," said Brad Schwartz, President, The CW Network. "The success and growth of the NASCAR Xfinity Series this year showcases the unmatched power of broadcast television to connect with fans, both locally and nationally. We're grateful for our partnership with the amazing team at NASCAR Productions, whose dedication helped make this inaugural season truly unforgettable. To our talent, our team, the drivers, the crews, and everyone that worked so hard this year, we can't wait to carry this incredible momentum into Daytona in 2026!"
"The CW's first full year with the NASCAR Xfinity Series has connected our sport with fans in an exciting new way," said Brian Herbst, NASCAR EVP, Chief Media & Revenue Officer. "By combining world-class racing with fresh storytelling and broad accessibility, we've been able to deliver incredible moments to both life-long fans and first-time viewers. We can't wait to bring even more excitement to The CW in 2026."
The NASCAR Xfinity Series began its 2025 season on The CW at full speed, with the opening race from Daytona International Speedway delivering 1.8 million total viewers, the largest audience for any Xfinity Series race in almost three years. From there, the series never took its foot off the gas with the first 13 races each drawing over one million total viewers for the first time in nearly a decade. The network also introduced a revised graphic package for the series, highlighted by the horizontal standings board at the bottom of the screen, and utilized the new NASCAR Productions state-of-the-art studio facility to bring viewers closer to the on-track action than ever before. The CW also partnered with major sponsors and advertisers through integrations and initiatives throughout the season that elevated brands on both a national and local level.
NASCAR will return to The CW next year with the 2026 series beginning on Saturday, February 14, 2026, with NASCAR COUNTDOWN LIVE from the Daytona International Speedway infield at 4:00pm ET, followed by the green flag at 5:00pm ET. Play-by-play announcer Adam Alexander will return to the broadcast booth in 2026 alongside analysts Jamie McMurray and Parker Kligerman.
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About The CW Network
The CW is America's fifth major broadcast network and reaches 100% of US television households. The CW delivers 15 hours of primetime entertainment programming per week in addition to nearly 400 hours of sports per year as the broadcast home to NASCAR Xfinity Series, WWE NXT, ACC football and basketball games, Pac-12 football games, AVP beach volleyball and PBR Team Series events. The fully ad-supported CW App, with more than 100 million downloads to date, is available for free to consumers on all major platforms and is home to the latest episodes and seasons of The CW's primetime programming and a library of entertaining film and television content for on-demand viewing. The CW is 75%-owned by Nexstar Media Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: NXST), a leading diversified media company and largest CW affiliate group. For more information about The CW, please visit www.cwtv.com.
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