CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — O’Reilly Auto Parts will take over as the title sponsor for NASCAR’s second-tier national series when the Xfinity Series is renamed next season.
The multiyear partnership announced Monday is a sponsorship package that includes promotional opportunities and brand integrations with The CW Network, which is the exclusive broadcast partner for that series. The renaming will take effect on Jan. 1.
“Partnering with NASCAR and The CW at this level enables us to further deepen our connection to one of the most loyal fanbases in all of sports,” said Hugo Sanchez, O’Reilly Auto Parts vice president of advertising and marketing. “This agreement builds on our long-term involvement in NASCAR and our dedication to the fans who love cars as much as we do.”
O’Reilly Auto Parts becomes the fourth title sponsor in the series’ history. It was launched as the Busch Series in 1982, had a seven-year run with Nationwide Insurance and Xfinity has been the title sponsor the last 11 years.
“Like the great sport of NASCAR, O’Reilly Auto Parts was born in America and built on the hard work and drive of passionate people,” NASCAR President Steve O’Donnell said. “This new partnership allows us to continue to fuel that passion for the next generation of NASCAR’s stars and fans while celebrating the journey we’ve been on together for decades.”
O’Reilly Auto Parts was founded in Springfield, Missouri, in 1957 as a single store and today is an automotive parts powerhouse with more than 6,400 locations across 48 states, Puerto Rico, Mexico and Canada. For several years it was the title sponsor of NASCAR races at Daytona, Texas and Mid-Ohio.
“Our company is rooted in the same values that define NASCAR — teamwork, enthusiasm and dedication,” O’Reilly Auto Parts President Brent Kirby said. “You’ll see those in action when our customers walk through our doors. We know they need fast service, and Team O’Reilly will get them the parts they need quickly, with excellent customer service. We welcome all fans to stop by our stores and see how our team can help keep them running.”
AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing
FILE - Nationwide Series driver Carl Edwards (60) celebrates winning the NASCAR Nationwide O'Reilly Auto Parts 300 auto race at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas, April 8, 2011. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)
HOUSTON (AP) — Now more than halfway to the moon, the Artemis II astronauts prepared for their historic lunar fly-around to push deeper into space than even the Apollo astronauts.
On the downside, their toilet is on the blink again.
The three Americans and one Canadian are set to reach their destination Monday, photographing the mysterious lunar far side as they zoom around. It is the first moon-bound crew in more than 53 years, picking up where NASA’s Apollo program left off.
“The Earth is quite small, and the moon is definitely getting bigger,” pilot Victor Glover reported.
Until the Orion capsule's bathroom is fixed, Mission Control has instructed the astronauts to break out more of the backup urine collection bags. The so-called lunar loo malfunctioned following Wednesday’s liftoff and has been hit-and-miss ever since. A version of the Artemis II toilet was tested on the International Space Station several years ago.
Engineers suspect ice may be blocking the line that is preventing urine from completely flushing overboard. The toilet is still open for No. 2 business.
Debbie Korth, NASA’s Orion program deputy manager, said the astronauts have also reported a smell coming from the bathroom, which is buried in the floor of the capsule with a door and curtain for privacy.
“Space toilets and bathrooms are something everybody can understand .. it’s always a challenge,” she said, noting that the space shuttle toilet was also often on the fritz.
John Honeycutt, chair of the mission management team, said it is human nature to be interested in the space commode, and even though it is “in a good state right now,” he’d like it to be working at 100%.
“They’re OK,” he said of the astronauts. “They trained to manage through the situation.”
Artemis II is poised to set a distance record for humans, traveling more than 252,000 miles (400,000 kilometers) from Earth before hanging a U-turn behind the moon and heading home without stopping or entering lunar orbit. The record is currently held by Apollo 13.
The Canadian Space Agency celebrated the country’s role in the mission, speaking from Quebec with astronaut Jeremy Hansen as he headed toward his lunar rendezvous. Hansen is the first non-U.S. citizen to fly to the moon.
“Today he is making history for Canada,” Canadian Space Agency President Lisa Campbell said. “As we watch him taking this bold step into the unknown, let his journey remind us that Canada’s future is written by those who dare to reach for more.”
In the live televised linkup, Hansen said he has already witnessed “extraordinary” views from NASA's Orion capsule.
Hansen, Glover, Reid Wiseman and Christina Koch are the world's first lunar astronauts since Apollo 17's crew of three in 1972. Koch and Glover are the first female and first Black astronauts to the moon, respectively.
Their nearly 10-day mission — ending with a Pacific splashdown on April 10 — is the first step in NASA's bold plans for a sustainable moon base. The space agency is aiming for a landing by two astronauts near the lunar south pole in 2028.
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In this undated photo provided by NASA on Saturday, April 4, 20206, Commander Reid Wiseman looks at the Earth from a window aboard the Orion spacecraft Integrity during the Artemis II mission en route to the moon. (NASA via AP)
This photo provided by NASA shows the moon seen from the Orion spacecraft Integrity during the Artemis II mission on Friday, April 3, 2026. (NASA via AP)
This photo provided by NASA shows the exterior of the Orion spacecraft Integrity during the Artemis II mission en route to the moon on Friday, April 3, 2026. (NASA via AP)
In this photo provided by NASA, astronaut Christina Koch, background left, is illuminated by a screen inside the darkened Orion spacecraft Integrity on the third day of the Artemis II mission, Friday, April 3, 2026. At right, Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen looks out of one of Orion's windows. (NASA via AP)
In this image from video provided by NASA, Artemis II astronauts, from left, Reid Wiseman, Jeremy Hansen, Christina Koch and Victor Glover gather for an interview en route to the moon on Saturday, April 4, 2026. (NASA via AP)
This image provided by the Canadian Space Agency, Artemis II astronaut Jeremy Hansen of Canada, connects live from the Orion spacecraft and speaks with Canadian media along with astronauts Victor Glover, left, and Reid Wiseman on Saturday, April 4, 2026. (Canadian Space Agency via AP)
This image from video provided by NASA shows the Artemis II crew Commander Reid Wiseman, second from left, thanking the families of the crew while speaking with NASA Mission Control in a video conference while en route to the moon, Thursday, April 2, 2026, as Canadian astronaut and mission specialist Jeremy Hansen, far left, looks on and mission specialist Christina Koch and pilot Victor Glover, far right, make hearts with their hands. (NASA via AP) CORRECTION: headed to the moon, not in moon's orbit
This image from video provided by NASA shows a view of earth taken by NASA astronaut and Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman from one of the Orion spacecraft's four windows after completing the translunar injection burn, Thursday, April 2, 2026. (NASA via AP)
