Mark Martin Rips CW Broadcast During NASCAR Xfinity Race
NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin didn’t hold back while watching Saturday’s Xfinity Series race at Iowa Speedway. His target? The CW’s race broadcast, which he felt focused too heavily on championship talk rather than what was unfolding on the track.
Martin, a legendary driver with 49 Xfinity Series wins — back when it was still the Busch Series — voiced his frustration in real-time on X. His gripe was simple: race fans tune in for the action, not just playoff positioning.
“Every other sentence on today’s broadcast has been Playoff and championship,” Martin wrote. “Damn, cover the race a little bit. We are watching a race too.”
It was classic Martin, no filter, no fluff, just a veteran racer calling it like he sees it. With a career spanning decades — including five runner-up finishes in the Cup Series championship — Martin earned the right to speak his mind on how the sport is evolving or regressing.
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Mark Martin Demands Changes
Martin has long championed the return of a full-season points format, similar to what NASCAR used before the Chase and Playoff systems took hold. And he’s not just ranting online, he’s actively involved. The racing icon is part of a newly formed NASCAR committee tasked with evaluating the championship format.
Jeff Gluck of The Athletic, who also sits on the committee, explained Martin’s involvement during The Teardown podcast.
“The reason they asked Mark Martin to be on the committee in the first place is because they knew that he is in favor of full season points,” Gluck said. “There’s been two meetings so far, and then there’s been some emails and all that stuff.”
Despite Martin’s dedication to the cause, don’t expect NASCAR to ditch its playoff system anytime soon. According to Gluck and co-host Jordan Bianchi, network partners like NBC still hold significant sway in how the sport is structured. And they favor the current playoff drama.
Every other sentence on today’s broadcast has been Playoff and championship. Damn cover the race a little bit. We are watching a race too.
— Mark Martin (@markmartin) August 2, 2025
For now, Martin will continue his push for traditional racing values, whether it’s on social media or behind closed doors. One thing’s certain: the man who dominated in both Cup and Xfinity isn’t done fighting for the future of the sport he helped build.
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