By David G. Firestone
So when this news first broke, I was going to add it to the column last week, but it was far too long. So, I’m going to talk about the news about the title sponsor of NASCAR’s secondary series. Specifically, starting on January 1, 2026, NASCAR’s secondary series will go from the NASCAR Xfinity Series to the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.
NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell said of the partnership:
“Like the great sport of NASCAR, O’Reilly Auto Parts was born in America and built on the hard work and drive of passionate people. This new partnership allows us to continue to fuel that passion for the next generation of NASCAR’s stars and fans while celebrating the journey we’ve been on together for decades.”
Look, I’ve been a fan for a long time. I’ve seen what NASCAR was in the 1990’s, and I see what it is now. The 1990’s are gone and are never coming back. Viewers are gone, sponsors are leaving, TV numbers are down. At least with the Cup Series, they solved the problem a long time ago.
That was what I was thinking about, for the Xfinity Series. Why not do a Cup Series style sponsor partnership. Instead of one sponsor paying $10 million, why not have four or five sponsors paying $2 million apiece per year? Call it the NASCAR Grand National Series, and that would work a lot better.
Money is tight, and getting tighter, so why not make this better for sponsors, NASCAR, and the fans? For major sponsors, $2 million a year is much more justifiable than $10 million. Think realistically, and fix the problems. Focus on what you have, not what you want. The problems can’t fully be fixed, but the damage can be mitigated at least.
Now to the other major news story. I’ve talked in the past about Dodge wanting to return to NASCAR. Well, they are a lot closer. Starting in 2026, Ram Trucks will be returning to the Craftsman Truck Series with Kaulig Racing. Kaulig Racing does not currently have a Truck Series team, but they will start one in 2026.
While I get that Kaulig Racing is very dedicated to racing, why would Ram Truck choose a team with no Truck Series experience at all? Wouldn’t you at least try to pilfer a team that already exists? At least that way, there are some current drivers and engineers that could provide advice. A couple of small but established Truck Series teams would be a much better bet than one team with no experience. I did notice this quote from the NASCAR.com Article:
“Nate Buelow — SVP of Brand Marketing for Stellantis North America, Ram’s parent company — indicated that for now, the automaker was exclusively partnered with Kaulig Racing as the “anchor team for our entire endeavor.” Buelow said that signing additional partner teams was a part of the manufacturer’s plans, but that Kaulig would be the centerpiece of Ram’s initial thrust.”
Again, the idea of signing with a team that has no Truck Series experience at all as a centerpiece, to me at least, doesn’t make sense. The lack of said experience could hold Ram back for a while, without other teams. I wish them well, but I hold out little hope.
Sources Cited:
The Driver Suit Blog 