| NASCAR 25 Launches October 14
The latest NASCAR video game will be available soon. iRacing and NASCAR have announced that NASCAR 25 will be launched on October 14 for PlayStation and Xbox. A version that can be streamed on the PC platform will follow later. NASCAR 25 is the first video game console title that iRacing (the online racing simulation platform) has developed. The game will feature all four NASCAR national touring series (ARCA, Trucks, Xfinity, & Cup) and will be available in time for holiday shopping. |
| Jimmie Johnson’s 2026 Racing Plans
Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series Champion, Jimmie Johnson who competed in two races this season says his racing schedule may be fuller next season. “There’s a chance that I run more races next year,” Johnson said. “If we have a third charter on the docket and have a sponsor to bring along, I want to keep going.” One of the races he has circled, if it all works for the team, is the inaugural street race at Naval Base Coronado. It would be special for Johnson who is from El Cajon, CA just 15 miles east of San Diego. |
| Nielsen’s Three Minute Qualifier Showing Increased Audience
Spring 2025 results in Portable People Meter (PPM) Nielsen markets have shown audience increases across the board for all demographics and dayparts. Westwood One’s Pierre Bouvard does a nice job in his blog breaking down the 17-19% increases comparing Spring 2025 to Fall 2024 from what Nielsen calls a “modernization” of listening levels as recorded by the PPM. Weekend AQH is up almost 24% for persons 25-54, something local advertisers might want to take note of…especially the ones that will only buy Monday through Friday. I highly suggest you take time to look through the article linked above; there are nuggets you can use in your sales packages to support radio’s relevance in the advertising and marketing space. |
| BONUS: NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series coming in 2026
NASCAR announced last week that O’Reilly Auto Parts will replace Xfinity as entitlement partners on its second-tier racing series beginning in 2026. Xfinity, who continues as a NASCAR Premier Partner, held the sponsorship for eleven years and is moving its assets within the sport around to more align with its current marketing goals. O’Reilly has long been associated with sport through single race sponsorships and other activations but now will elevate and enhance what it has been already doing with this additional, multi-year investment. If your station currently airs the NASCAR Xfinity Series and you are talking with the agency that handles O’Reilly, let them know you will be the exclusive radio home in your market next season for the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. |