Kevin Harvick on NASCAR Xfinity Series sponsor has brought attention to changes in the sport after NASCAR announced O’Reilly Auto Parts as the new title sponsor. The move, revealed earlier this week, has Harvick and others in the industry questioning the direction and identity of NASCAR’s secondary series.
Harvick Raises Concerns Over Sponsorship Shift
During his show, Happy Hour, Harvick reflected on the sponsorship change and its future implications for the series’ identity and consistency. He expressed support but also uncertainty about the transition, especially regarding the overlap or confusion with previous sponsor Advance Auto Parts.
“I’m really happy for what is the Xfinity Series now to have O’Reilly come in and sponsor the series, but I have a lot of questions,”
—Kevin Harvick, Driver
Harvick raised the issue of whether O’Reilly and Advance Auto Parts are affiliated, and wondered about the status of Advance’s weekly sponsorship commitment. He further addressed the wider challenge facing the series—its lack of a longstanding, easily recognizable identity, compared to the NASCAR Cup Series and the Truck Series.
“The second thing that I think we need to work on is we need some identity for this series. We have the NASCAR Cup Series, and we have the Bill France Cup, and we have all these things that are true to the Cup Series. The trucks are the easy one, right? They’re just trucks. Even if Craftsman is not there, it’s still the Truck Series, and then you have the Cup Series. So, what is the Xfinity Series? So, next year, are we going to be O’Reilly Series? And then everybody’s going to be like ‘What the hell is the O’Reilly Series?’ I don’t know. I just think that we need some consistent identity for the Xfinity Series as to what is it.”
—Kevin Harvick, Driver
Details of the O’Reilly Auto Parts Partnership
NASCAR and O’Reilly Auto Parts officially announced a multi-year deal that grants O’Reilly title sponsorship of the sport’s secondary series. The partnership begins January 1, 2026, and the series will be renamed the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series on that date. This change marks a significant shakeup for the league’s established structure and branding.
In a statement provided following the announcement, NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell connected the series’ roots with the new title sponsor, emphasizing the shared values and history.
“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,”
—Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR President
“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.”
—Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR President
A Look at the Series’ Shifting Identity
The upcoming O’Reilly naming marks the fourth time the series has changed its entitlement sponsor and title. Known as the Xfinity Series since 2015, NASCAR’s second tier was previously titled the Nationwide Series from 2008 through 2014. Prior to that, longtime fans remember it as the Busch Grand National Series, a name it held from 1984 until 2002, before “Grand National” was dropped in 2003.
This frequent rebranding stands in contrast to the consistent identity found in the Cup Series and Truck Series, fueling concerns among established participants and supporters like Harvick. The question remains whether the O’Reilly deal will provide lasting coherence or simply add another chapter to the series’ evolving label.
What Comes Next for NASCAR’s Secondary Series?
As the rebranded NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series debut approaches in 2026, key figures like Kevin Harvick, fans, and sponsors will watch closely to see whether this partnership brings a clearer identity and renewed stability. As Steve O’Donnell highlighted, the sponsorship is hoped to engage both current followers and a new generation of NASCAR enthusiasts, celebrating the series’ journey and its potential future. The industry now awaits further details on how this change will affect other commitments, like Advance Auto Parts, and whether NASCAR’s second-tier series will finally find a consistent, lasting place in the sport’s hierarchy.
