The Xfinity Series championship race marks the final ride for the longtime series sponsor. Xfinity is celebrating the occasion by delivering the most important commercial-free stage of the season.
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Xfinity, which will no longer serve as the entitlement sponsor of the secondary series after 2025 but will remain in the sport, announced on Friday that the final stage at Phoenix will take place without commercial breaks.
CW won't go away from the action as Xfinity drivers battle for the championship, nor will it go to a double-box. The final stage of this Phoenix race will be full-screen action for over 100 laps.
NASCAR's weekend schedule lists the final stage of the Xfinity race at 110 laps, but the number will be smaller after caution laps.
Xfinity took over as the main sponsor of the secondary series in 2015. It has remained in this position ever since while Justin Allgaier, William Byron, Tyler Reddick, Daniel Hemric, Daniel Suarez, Chris Buescher, Ty Gibbs, Cole Custer, and Austin Cindric have won championships.
Xfinity has also provided ways for teams to earn some bonus money through the Dash 4 Cash races, which pay out a combined $400,000 each season. The Dash 4 Cash actually began in 2009, several seasons before Xfinity took over as the entitlement sponsor.
Once the 2025 season ends, O'Reilly Auto Parts will take over as the sponsor of the secondary NASCAR series. This branding will officially make its debut on Jan. 1, 2026.
This decision to go commercial-free is a significant move for the longtime NASCAR sponsor, which will remain involved in the sport in other ways. Commercials pay the bills for NASCAR's broadcast partners, and they are a necessary evil throughout the season.
Understandably, NASCAR fans watching at home do not enjoy the breaks that remove the action from their screens, especially if an on-track incident occurs while they are watching an Applebee's commercial.
The side-by-side ads do little to ease the fans' frustration. They still see the action on the track, but they hear audio describing bent carrots or homeowners turning into their parents.
Additionally, Sports Business Journal reports that the NASCAR partner will bring all of its former champions to serve as grand marshals for the season finale. One of these champions, Allgaier, will give the command from the seat of his No. 7 Chevrolet while preparing to chase another title.
