Sunoco’s fuel deal with NASCAR ends this year.
Gasoline distributor Sunoco’s longtime sponsorship as the official fuel of NASCAR expires after 2025, according to people familiar with the matter, and the sides are heading into the start of the season with no extension having been reached. Dating back to 2004, Dallas-based Sunoco has been the official fuel of the auto racing property’s three national divisions after it replaced the ConocoPhillips 76 brand. Fuel and tires are the two exclusive competition-related categories in NASCAR that every team has to work with.
The expiration of Sunoco’s deal comes as it’s undergone major changes to its overall business over the last decade. While the exact terms of Sunoco’s deal and any exclusive negotiating window were unclear, sources say NASCAR is expected to hold talks with other brands in the category in the coming weeks and months. NASCAR declined comment, while Sunoco Director of Marketing Fred McConnell told SBJ: “We can confirm that we are in talks with NASCAR about the 2026 season and beyond.”
In 2017, Sunoco sold over 1,100 of its convenience stores to 7-Eleven for $3.3B in a deal that was reported at the time as one that started Sunoco’s shift from being more B2C-focused as a retail store operator to being more B2B-focused as a fuel supplier.
The terms of Sunoco’s deal with NASCAR, and how much it pays the sanctioning body annually, have not been learned but are complex because Sunoco is not just a sponsor — it provides fuels for teams to use during races. Industry sources are watching whether NASCAR tries to seek out a company with more of a B2C presence and bigger national or even international footprint.
NASCAR and Comcast announced Tuesday the renewal of their decade-long partnership, with Comcast continuing its role as both a premier partner of the NASCAR Cup Series and title sponsor of the Xfinity Series.
The partnership has been renewed for multiple years with the Xfinity Series title sponsorship being extended for one more year.
According to Sports Business Journal, Xfinity will no longer be the title sponsor following the 2025 season.
Speaking to SBJ, Matt Lederer, Vice President of Brand Partnership & Engagement at Comcast, stated that “11 years of being an entitlement partner and having the run that we’ve had has been amazing, and now I think it’s time for someone else to take that mantle and continue to grow the series to heights that we can’t even consider at this point.”
Xfinity, however, will firmly remain in the sport.
New to the sport starting this year, race fans can look forward to the “Xfinity Fastest Lap,” a program that awards one race point to the eligible driver and owner with the fastest single lap in each race, adding extra intensity and strategy to the competition. This new feature will be part of all three national series — NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series — enhancing the competitive landscape and fan experience.
“We’re not just entering year 11 of our partnership. We’re embarking on year one of a renewed relationship with NASCAR filled with fresh energy and exciting opportunities to enhance the competition on the track in a way that has never been done before, and continue to connect with fans in new and engaging ways.”
Comcast is expanding its NASCAR partnership to include more of its connectivity and entertainment brands – Xfinity Mobile and Xumo. Xfinity Mobile is joining the partnership as an Official Wireless Partner of NASCAR.
Xumo, Comcast’s and Charter’s streaming platform joint venture, will become an Official Video and Streaming Partner of NASCAR, with plans to offer its customers immersive viewing experiences and unique content.
NASCAR’s Driver Ambassador Program in effect this year
[NASCAR’s] its new “Driver Ambassador Program” modeled after the PGA concept is now in full swing. Several million dollars are said to be at stake for drivers.
Drivers earn one point for every 15 minutes of their time doing something considered “promotion” (such as media interviews or appearances at tracks) outside of the mandatory sessions (postrace news conferences, etc.) or traveling to events. And depending on a driver’s star power, which is determined by a formula, they earn multipliers on those points (up to five times multiplied for the top five stars).
Whoever earns the most points gets the most money from the DAP fund, but the payouts go down the list in an attempt to get drivers motivated to do more on behalf of promoting the sport. So when Elliott and Bubba Wallace recently flew to Chicago for the day to visit Barstool Sports, they racked up a bunch of points for their time and moved up in the overall standings.
The Mike Curb USAC National Drivers Championship returns for 2025 with an increased $15,000 reward going to the driver who accrues the most combined points throughout the USAC national season.
The honor encompasses attaining points throughout each and every points-paying USAC Silver Crown, AMSOIL National Sprint Car and NOS Energy Drink National Midget series event during the 2025 campaign. USAC’s 2025 national schedule encompasses 95 events from coast-to-coast.
Over the past four seasons since 2021, the Mike Curb USAC National Drivers Championship top prize has tripled from $5,000 to $15,000.
Logan Seavey (Sutter, Calif.) punctuated his record-setting 2024 season by earning the USAC National Drivers Championship a year ago. In all, he collected a total of 5,130 combined points between the three USAC National series, most of any driver.
The Mike Curb USAC National Drivers Championship celebrates its 27th consecutive year in 2025. Previous champions include many of the greatest names in USAC’s illustrious history, including five drivers who’ve won the award on at least three different occasions.
Tracy Hines and Justin Grant have won the award more times than anybody else, on four occasions. Hines collected top honors in 2000, 2008, 2013 and 2014 while Grant accomplished the feat in 2017, 2021, 2022 and 2023.
The new Mike Curb USAC National Drivers Champion will be honored at USAC’s Night of Champions in December of 2025.
MIKE CURB USAC NATIONAL DRIVERS CHAMPIONS:
1999: Dave Darland
2000: Tracy Hines
2001: J.J. Yeley
2002: J.J. Yeley
2003: J.J. Yeley
2004: Jay Drake
2005: Josh Wise
2006: Josh Wise
2007: Jerry Coons Jr.
2008: Tracy Hines
2009: Cole Whitt
2010: Bryan Clauson
2011: Bryan Clauson
2012: Bryan Clauson
2013: Tracy Hines
2014: Tracy Hines
2015: Dave Darland
2016: Brady Bacon
2017: Justin Grant
2018: Tyler Courtney
2019: Tyler Courtney
2020: Chris Windom
2021: Justin Grant
2022: Justin Grant
2023: Justin Grant
2024: Logan Seavey
Ryan Blaney is justifiably optimistic heading into the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series campaign based on his performance over the course of the last two seasons, which has included six combined wins, a championship in 2023 and a runner-up finish behind Penske teammate Joey Logano in 2024.
Recently, the 31-year-old met with reporters for the first time this year, and did so alongside friend and fellow Cup competitor Chase Elliott. Both were asked a variety of questions, including offering their individual assessments on the state of NASCAR.
Elliott was the first to suggest that the sport is heading in a good direction. The No. 12 pilot agreed with the Hendrick Motorsports driver on the sport’s trajectory and also took it as an opportunity to call out the sport's most vocal critics.
Team AmeriVet, with driver Burt Myers will be eliminating $250,000 in veteran debt during the 2025 Clash at Bowman Gray NASCAR race weekend. This achievement was made possible through their corporate partner program with race sponsors Citrusafe Cleaners, Pinnacle Financial Partners, AmeriVet Securities, C3skids.com, and Dairi-O, along with technical partners Chevrolet and ECR Engines.
The team is dedicating the 2025 season to the late Steven L. Haas, a key figure in the creation of the “50 Vets a Week” program. Steven’s dedication to veteran causes continues to inspire Team AmeriVet’s mission of relieving veteran debt across the nation.
Tommy Lancaster, COO of Bryson Industries, makers of Citrusafe Cleaners, shared his personal connection to the cause:
“In the early 2000s, my brother and I were investing everything we had trying to build Bryson Industries and Citrusafe Cleaners. We had a dream, but that was about it! We begged and borrowed until the debt was seemingly insurmountable. Credit cards were out of control, which led to those dreaded debt collector calls. Our character and reputation were being questioned, and the rumors started taking a toll to the point of almost quitting. We weren’t bad people, but despair started to set in as we were just trying to survive. Our savior was an investor who came along just in time and restored our dream.
“I tell this story because the emotions are still fresh. The majority of people saddled with debt are good, honest, hardworking people who just fall victim to circumstances often beyond their control. To say we are proud to be partnered with Team AmeriVet and ForgiveCo is an understatement! Their mission of forgiving debt for ‘50 vets a week’ is now our mission. Our partnership this weekend has led to $250,000 raised to help forgive debt for veterans, and for that, we couldn’t be happier!”
Team AmeriVet continues to push forward with its mission, aiming to relieve over $5,000,000 in veteran debt throughout the 2025 NASCAR season. This milestone at Bowman Gray is just the beginning of what promises to be an impactful year both on the racetrack and in the lives of veterans nationwide.
If you or your brand would like to get involved, email joinourmission@teamamerivet.com. Fans can also support the cause by purchasing “50 Vets a Week” merchandise, with all proceeds going towards veteran debt relief, at www.50vetsaweek.com.
No matter the era of racing you call your own, chances are either your favorite driver or favorite car will be represented when the IROC race gets under way at this summer’s Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion at Weathertech Raceway Laguna Seca Aug. 13-16.
The cars on track will feature a variety of those that were used in the series, including Camaros, Avengers, and at least one or two 911s. The drivers will be icons of motorsport, mostly.
Let’s start out with some NASCAR names who have committed to race in the Rolex—heroes like Mark Martin, Ken Schrader, and Bobby Labonte, to name three. Also, look for Jeff Gordon’s longtime crew chief and co-owner of IROC Ray Evernham.
“I think this is the first time several of these drivers, including Jeff Gordon, have raced at Laguna Seca, and to do so during the renowned Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion is something I know they will enjoy,” said Evernham. “I’m also excited to give fans the opportunity to get up close and personal with our drivers and the incredible group of IROC cars that will be on display.”
Four-time NASCAR Champion Jeff Gordon has raced nearly every circuit but Laguna Seca in his 30-year racing career and amassed 93 wins, 477 Top Ten finishes, and 81 poles while racing for Hendrick Motorsports. He was named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers and was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2019.
Five-time IROC Series Champion Mark Martin’s 31-year NASCAR Cup Series history includes 40 wins, 453 Top Ten finishes, and 56 poles. He may also have more second-place finishes in the championship than anyone ever. Martin is the winningest IROC series driver of all time.
The 2000 Winston Cup Champion and 2001 IROC Series Champion Bobby Labonte will get behind the wheel to defend his title run. Labonte captured 21 wins during his NASCAR career.
The 1988 Winston Cup Series Champion Bill Elliott is a multi-race winner and was one of NASCAR’s most popular drivers. Over his 37-year career, he had 44 wins, 320 Top Ten finishes, and 55 poles. Elliott was named one of NASCAR’s 50 Greatest Drivers in 1988 and was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2007.
Ken Schrader is best known for his driving diversity, having competed in as many as 100 races annually that included championships in the USAC and Copper series. Over his 29-year NASCAR career, Schrader finished as high as fourth place in the 1994 championship.
“I’m so pumped that they’re bringing back the iconic IROC series, when we (knew) who was best!"
But it won’t be just NASCAR drivers. 1985 Indy 500 Spin-And-Win driver Danny Sullivan will be there. In addition to his win in the 500, Sullivan won multiple races and captured the 1988 CART Championship. He also raced in Formula 1 and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. He competed and won in IROC during the 1989 season.
The versatile Scott Pruett won nine American road racing championships with 60 wins over four decades. He won the 24 Hours at Daytona a record five times while also achieving success in IndyCar, NASCAR, Trans Am, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and IROC.
Two drivers who may have a leg up with their extensive experience racing at Laguna Seca are McLaren Racing’s CEO Zak Brown and Friends of Laguna Seca Vice President Bruce Canepa.
Brown recently acquired the 1977 Chevrolet IROC Camaro that was originally driven by Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip, Alan Jones, Clint Eastwood, Gene Hackman, James Brolin, and Paul Newman. Canepa will be driving a Dodge Avenger formerly driven by Dale Earnhardt, George Follmer, Emerson Fittipaldi, Richard Petty, and various other motorsports icons.
23XI Racing has announced a multi-year partnership with Virtual Gaming Worlds (VGW), an interactive entertainment company, harnessing technology and creativity to deliver world-class, free-to-play games. Beginning with the upcoming NASCAR season, the partnership will feature VGW’s Chumba Casino brand as the primary paint scheme for several races across all three 23XI cars. The collaboration expands the brand’s global reach in motorsports, complementing its existing partnership with Scuderia Ferrari in Formula 1.
As both VGW and 23XI continue to reach new and diverse audiences, the partnership will highlight one of VGW’s biggest brands, Chumba Casino, North America’s premier online social casino. For over a decade, Chumba Casino has brought players fun and entertainment with casino-style games that are always free to play. Chumba Casino’s vibrant paint schemes will be featured at select races this season on each of 23XI’s three Toyota Camry XSE racecars, driven by Bubba Wallace, Tyler Reddick, and Riley Herbst. The brand will also be displayed on the drivers’ firesuits and team equipment throughout the season. With 23XI’s recent addition of the No. 35 team, VGW and Chumba Casino will be the first primary partner featured across all three teams. During the season, fans and players can also look forward to exciting activations that will provide unique opportunities to engage with both 23XI and Chumba Casino.
“We’re excited for Chumba Casino to partner with 23XI Racing, a team that embodies innovation and excellence in motorsports,” said VGW’s Deputy Chief Marketing Officer Ben Whitford. “At VGW, one of our values is that we are powered by passion, and we love partnering with other leaders in their fields who are passionate about innovation and performance. This collaboration gives us a great opportunity to connect with NASCAR fans and showcase the excitement of Chumba’s free-to-play games. We’re looking forward to working with the 23XI Racing team and achieving groundbreaking success together.”
“We are excited to welcome VGW to the 23XI family and to showcase Chumba Casino on track with Bubba, Tyler, and Riley,” said Steve Lauletta, 23XI team president. “Our organizations share a passion for creating unforgettable fan experiences through innovation and technology and we’re keen to work together on exciting programs that will benefit our fans throughout the year. We look forward to introducing 23XI and NASCAR fans to the Chumba Casino games, which can be played anywhere, anytime while they enjoy our races.”
Dirty Mo Media, the multimedia content platform of NASCAR Hall-of-Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr, announced the addition of a new podcast – co-hosted by Dale Jr. and his wife, Amy - to the company’s programming slate.
“Bless Your ’Hardt” debuted February 6 with new episodes available every week. The series will provide listeners with an unfiltered and entertaining look into the lives of Amy and Dale Jr. as they navigate through chaos, success, failure and real-life issues of marriage and parenting in the Earnhardt house.
From Amy Earnhardt:
“We’re really excited to invite everyone into the crazy, beautiful, and sometimes messy world we live in! I’ve been interested in doing a podcast for a while now and have just been waiting for the right fit. ‘Bless Your ’Hardt’ is going to be a fun way to share stories and antics about what it’s like to juggle life, marriage and parenting life in the Earnhardt house. Looking forward to another project with Dale and hope our listeners enjoy!”
From Dale Earnhardt Jr.:
“This podcast is going to be a lot of fun. Amy and I have always wanted to figure out what her experience in the podcast space could look like. The past year we enjoyed doing a few podcasts together and the response from our listeners was tremendous. I'm excited for us to tackle a weekly show, and it's going to be interesting to see where these stories and conversations lead us. I expect a lot of laughs."
“Bless Your ‘Hardt” is the latest new addition to the Dirty Mo podcast slate, following the debut of “Herm & Schrader” in November, a new podcast series hosted by legendary wheelmen Kenny Wallace and Ken Schrader.
These new podcasts join an acclaimed lineup of popular podcasts that will be launching new seasons in the lead-up to this year’s Daytona 500 and the start of the 2025 NASCAR season.
“Dale Jr. Download,” the official podcast of Dale Earnhardt Jr., begins its 13th season on February 4, connecting racing’s past, present and future with dynamic guests and candid commentary from the two-time Daytona 500 winner and 16-time Most Popular Driver. Dale is joined at the table each week by close friend and top NASCAR spotter, T.J. Majors.
“Door Bumper Clear” returns on February 3 with Freddie Kraft alongside new co-hosts Tommy Baldwin and Karsyn Elledge.
“Actions Detrimental,” hosted by three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin, returned for its third season on February 3. Regarded as the last of the old guard of candid, honest drivers, Hamlin shares his perspective on the latest NASCAR news and puts his audience right in the cockpit of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota every week with a thorough race recap.
“The Teardown,” hosted by longtime motorsports journalists Jeff Gluck and Jordan Bianchi, launched it’s eighth season on January 5.
“Business of Motorsports,” hosted by Kelley Earnhardt Miller, just completed its third season and will return next NASCAR offseason.
Dirty Mo Media is part of the SiriusXM Podcast Network. SiriusXM Media, the company’s advertising division, has exclusive global ad sales rights to Dirty Mo Media’s slate of sports podcasts and “Dale Jr. Download” airs twice a week on the SiriusXM NASCAR Radio channel. Additionally, the two companies will collaborate on special event broadcasts during the season, including at the Daytona 500.
Joe Gibbs Racing has announced that National Debt Relief will be the primary sponsor of Denny Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota Camry XSE for four NASCAR Cup Series races this season.
National Debt Relief is the industry leader in debt settlement and known for its unique approach to debt relief. Since its inception in 2009, National Debt Relief has helped more than 550,000 people reclaim their independence and get their life back on track by empowering them to resolve their debt and confidently manage their finances.
While this marks National Debt Relief’s first foray into team sponsorship, the company is no stranger to NASCAR. Last July, National Debt Relief was an official partner of the Chicago Street Race. In August, National Debt Relief became the Official Debt Relief Partner of NASCAR with signage at various racetracks and a presence on NASCAR’s digital platforms and the Motor Racing Network. The company was also the entitlement sponsor of the National Debt Relief 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Martinsville Speedway last fall, which was won by Joe Gibbs Racing driver Aric Almirola.
“We are excited to expand our investment in the sport of NASCAR through this partnership with Joe Gibbs Racing and Denny Hamlin,” said Alex Kleyner, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder, National Debt Relief. “As household debt continues to be at record levels in the United States, consumers need to be aware of and have access to trusted debt relief solutions to help them get out from under overwhelming debt. As fans watch Denny race to the finish at the DAYTONA 500, we want them to know National Debt Relief could help them drive out of debt.”
National Debt Relief will be featured as the primary sponsor of Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota for the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway (May 25), and Talladega Superspeedway (October 19). National Debt Relief will also have associate partner placement on the C-post of the No. 11 Toyota throughout the season.
“Personal finances are something so many of us can struggle with at different times in our lives,” said Joe Gibbs, owner and founder of Joe Gibbs Racing. “National Debt Relief has been a great resource to so many people and we are proud to partner with them to help people who need support getting out of debt.”
Hamlin, a three-time DAYTONA 500 winner, will be competing in his 20th full-time season in the NASCAR Cup Series. Entering 2025, Hamlin is tied for 12th on the all-time wins list with 54 victories, including three wins last year. 2025 is a year of change for the 44-year-old Virginia native as he will be working with crew chief Chris Gayle after Joe Gibbs Racing announced that Hamlin’s previous crew chief Chris Gabehart has been promoted to the team’s competition director role.
“National Debt Relief is going to be a great asset to our team,” said Hamlin. “Growing up, my parents did everything possible to further my racing career, and that was obviously not easy financially. So, I understand the reality that so many people are facing and the uncertainty that financial hardship can bring. I’m excited about this partnership and the opportunity we have to promote National Debt Relief’s services that allow people to get out of debt and get their life back on track.”
To join the hundreds of thousands of people who have resolved their debt and accelerated their financial independence with the help of National Debt Relief, visit NationalDebtRelief.com or call 1-800-718-0487 for a free consultation with a certified debt specialist.
