The CW's entry into NASCAR has revitalized the visual identity of the Xfinity Series. What was once viewed as a secondary property now boasts a premium design approach, injecting youthful energy into the sport's competitive spirit. This redesigned broadcast, a collaborative effort involving The CW's internal creative team, Two Fresh Creative, Drive Studio, and other partners, represents a significant departure from past presentations.
“We wanted to treat Saturday’s race like it was as good as Sunday,” said Rich Browd, SVP of brand creative at The CW. “Historically, the Xfinity Series felt like an afterthought.” The Xfinity Series traditionally acts as a support race to the main Cup Series, usually held on Sundays. It serves as a developmental league, nurturing emerging talent within a structured system of teams affiliated with Cup Series organizations.
Browd emphasized that this new approach elevates the series by underscoring the high-quality racing and the significant stakes for many young drivers. The CW's strategy contrasts sharply with the approaches of previous broadcast partners. For The CW, which secured a seven-year deal with NASCAR, the Xfinity Series is not an afterthought; it's the flagship motorsports property within their burgeoning CW Sports portfolio.
“That’s what made it super cool. You just don’t see Xfinity with this much love,” said Phil Guthrie of Two Fresh Creative. “Having it as the marquee property for CW — they were just pumped.” A key visual element is the glass car graphic, symbolizing the power and fragility inherent in racing, perfectly representing the risk-reward dynamic of the Xfinity Series.
“We wanted to play up the stakes,” Browd explained. “When you’re on a larger racing team, you’re funded in a more healthy way. But these guys, if they crash that car, there’s a chance they may not get the car back on the track for the next race. Money’s not flowing. The high stakes are represented in the glass car. Glass is very brittle, and that glass also made it easy for us to show the power inside the vehicle.”
The project involved numerous creative partners, with The CW's internal team spearheading the vision and coordinating with external agencies for final execution. Marcos Vas and Elton Gamez developed initial concept boards that resonated immediately with Browd. “They hit on everything we were talking about,” he said, highlighting the premium aesthetic of the designs. “We wanted to make these guys feel like total rock stars.”
Two Fresh Creative, with prior experience collaborating with The CW on basketball and football packages, translated the NASCAR vision into a broadcast reality, focusing on the wrap-around animation, including the car itself. “We kind of landed in this moody, sexy environment where we’re building things using the hot sauce color, which is CW’s signature color,” said Guthrie.
Guthrie noted the design incorporates a “speed factor” along with atmospheric elements like smoke, distinguishing it from other broadcasters. A notable change is the shift from a vertical scoreboard to a bottom bumper leaderboard, creating a more cinematic presentation. “Putting the bumper at the bottom created this more cinematic experience,” Browd observed. This provides directors with more space to showcase the race, resulting in a less cluttered, larger viewing area. The leaderboard acts as the foundation for the broadcast, functioning as a real-time ticker with adaptable configurations.
Drive Studio collaborated with The CW on the leaderboard concept and core components of the insert graphics system, including the motion theory. The CW's internal team further refined these ideas, creating a versatile package adaptable to various race situations. The bumper, for example, can adjust its size during commercial breaks, or transform into a sponsored advertisement.
“You’ll notice in the 2D design theory that we’ve created — where titles come in and out — it’s all based on the track,” Browd noted. “It’s all based on the sport.” The package has received positive fan feedback, particularly online, where viewers praised elements such as the reinstated car illustrations in the starting grid graphics. The NASCAR package aligns with The CW's broader strategy of cohesive branding across its CW Sports properties.
“The deal is seven years, so I’m excited to see how we can continue to push it,” said Browd. “Being sort of a smaller brand in this space, and me being a brand guy, everything needs to ladder up to the greater good,” Browd explained. “Everything has to work toward that greater goal of brand awareness.” This philosophy extends to all CW Sports properties.
“I think it’s fun and interesting to have each package look similar to feel more of a CW Sports brand presence,” Guthrie said. “It really makes the sports department feel strong.” “This is fresh for NASCAR,” Guthrie added. “It’s a statement of, ‘We don’t need to go down the same NASCAR path for every package, let’s try something different.’ This is a pretty bold statement of where NASCAR could go for graphics.”