The CW's NASCAR streak hits 14 races

The CW’s NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series coverage has now produced 14 consecutive races with more than one million total viewers, according to a May 20 ratings report from Jayski. The latest race in the streak was last Saturday’s BetRivers 200 at Dover Motor Speedway, which drew 1.03 million viewers and peaked at 1.169 million in the closing laps. Jayski said that set a new record for The CW’s NASCAR coverage. The same report said the all-time series record remains 15 straight races above one million viewers, set in 2016. ### What exactly hit 14 races? Jayski’s May 20 report said The CW’s Dover telecast became the 14th consecutive O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race to clear one million total viewers. The outlet said the network drew 1.03 million viewers for the May 16 race at Dover. It also said viewership peaked at 1.169 million between 6:15 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. ET. (jayski.com) The CW had already reached 13 straight races above that level the previous week. Jayski’s ratings page said the May 9 race at Watkins Glen drew 1.013 million viewers, extending the run before Dover pushed it to 14. ### How close is that to the broader series record? Jayski said the all-time record for the series is 15 consecutive races above one million viewers in 2016. (jayski.com) That leaves the current CW streak one race short of matching that mark. The comparison matters because The CW framed 2025 as a strong baseline for the package. (jayski.com) In a Nov. 5, 2025 release, the network said its first full season of NASCAR Xfinity Series coverage averaged 1.034 million viewers across 33 races, up 10% from the previous season, and that the first 13 races of 2025 each drew more than one million viewers for the first time in nearly a decade. (jayski.com) ### Is this streak new, or part of a longer run for The CW? The CW’s current 14-race figure is a 2026 milestone, but the network’s NASCAR audience strength was already visible in 2025. The CW said in November that its first full season with the series averaged more than one million viewers per week and ended as the most-watched Xfinity season in four years. (cwtvpr.com) Brad Schwartz, president of The CW Network, said in that release that the series had helped transform the broadcaster into “a premium destination for sports.” Brian Herbst, NASCAR’s chief media and revenue officer, said the partnership had connected the sport with fans “in an exciting new way.” (cwtvpr.com) ### What did Dover add to the trend? Dover added a modest year-over-year gain as well as the streak extension. Jayski said the 1.03 million viewers for Dover marked 4% growth versus last year’s 14th race of the season at Nashville Superspeedway. The report also said the closing laps delivered the largest audience window of the telecast. (cwtvpr.com) That means the CW package is entering the next race with both a current streak and a historical benchmark in view. Jayski’s report did not project whether Charlotte would match or break the 2016 mark; it said only that 15 remains the series standard. ### When does The CW get its chance to tie the record? ESPN’s 2026 O’Reilly Auto Parts Series schedule lists the next race for Saturday, May 23, at Charlotte Motor Speedway, with The CW as the TV carrier. (jayski.com) NASCAR’s 2026 schedule release also lists Charlotte as part of the series calendar. A Charlotte audience above one million would tie the 2016 record at 15 straight races, based on Jayski’s count. (jayski.com) The next ratings update will come after that May 23 telecast. (espn.com)