NASCAR Clears the Air on Major Overhaul of O’Reilly Series
What’s Happening? Following backlash over an interview with a NASCAR executive, officials within the sport have stepped up to clarify confusion…
NASCAR Executive John Probst has NASCAR fans talking after he suggested using NASCAR’s crossover-style EV in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series during a recent interview.
Update: Following the discussion surrounding this potential change, NASCAR’s Mike Forde clarified that there is no set plan to implement crossover-style bodies in the series, and that, specifically, the conversation was not about the implementation of EVs, but rather a change to the traditional body style of the series to CUVs.
What’s Happening? Following backlash over an interview with a NASCAR executive, officials within the sport have stepped up to clarify confusion…
Since the introduction of NASCAR’s Next Gen car to the Cup Series in 2022, fans have long awaited further changes to the sport’s lower two National Series.
While NASCAR has yet to announce any further changes to the NASCAR Craftsman Truck or O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, that hasn’t stopped rumors or even NASCAR officials from hinting at future changes.
During a recent interview with Adam Stern of Sports Business Journal, NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer John Probst suggested a potentially massive overhaul to the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.
Probst said that NASCAR has discussed bringing in its electric crossover-style car, which debuted at the Chicago Street Circuit in 2024, as the official car of the OAP Series. While he also said that this plan was not set in stone, the idea seems focused on the brand identity.
While he also said that this plan was not set in stone, the idea seems focused on the brand identity. In a follow-up post on social media, Stern shared a quote from Probst further exploring that aspect of the potential shift.
“I’m not sitting here saying today we’re breaking news it’s going to CUV, but these are the things that are on the roadmap to consider, so you’d have a Truck, a CUV and a Cup, that’s three very different bodies that are relevant for our OEMs today to create that brand identity for each series.”
If NASCAR were to go this direction, it would be a dramatic shift for the sport, taking what a sister series to the Cup Series, up until the 2022 season, and shifting it away from a “traditional” stock car platform.
This was a point made by many fans online in response to Probst, with most saying that the sport would be abandoning tradition if it were to scrap the current car, which the series has used since the 2011 season.
The overall reaction from the fanbase is similar to the 2025 rumors that the Truck Series could transition to a model similar to the Cup Series in the coming years, rumors that, as of right now, are not confirmed.
Others are saying that this could destroy one of its best on-track products, as the OAP Series is often revered by fans, not just for its traditional aspects, like a five lug nut pattern, but for its consistent on-track highlights.
Many fans are also pointing out that this is a mere idea, one that has yet to be confirmed by NASCAR, and one that could fail to make it out of the boardroom.
Nonetheless, the mere suggestion of changing the format of the OAP Series once again proved just how popular NASCAR’s second-highest division has become amongst fans.
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