Frankie Muniz might be the actor-turned-NASCAR driver. However, his competitor has gotten the chance to do the opposite. JR Motorsports driver Justin Allgaier is already enjoying the limelight lately as he fills in for Alex Bowman for the Vegas race. But aside from racing, in 2026, he is ready to witness a different fame with The CW marketing him as a unique personality, just like NASCAR legend Carl Edwards.

Justin Allgaier to make his acting debut with The CW

After winning the 2024 championship in the O’Reilly Series, Justin Allgaier is ready to win over audiences with his on-screen presence. He is going to debut in the acting industry with the drama series Wild Cards. It is a joint venture between NASCAR and The CW.

Nearly a decade ago, Carl Edwards got a similar opportunity with NBC. That was one of the many appearances he made on television. Carl Edwards would go on to make cameos in Chicago Fire, Royal Pains, The Glades, Guiding Light, Small Pond, and The Bill Engvall Show. 

With these appearances, the other broadcast partners were able to use Edwards’s persona as a selling point. He was incredibly popular among the audience due to his cameos and brought a lot of fan following to the sport. Similar to him, The CW is adopting this approach with its O’Reilly Series drivers, marketing them with standout driver profiles that give the audience a reason to follow them.

With his latest deal, Allgaier looks set to recreate the same legacy. The show is going to be about a former con artist teaming up with a cop to try and earn himself redemption by solving crimes. This strategy is a direct successor to The CW’s motto from the previous year.

In their first season with NASCAR, The CW marketed the O’Reilly Series as a proving ground for young rookies and veterans alike. It earned the O’Reilly Series a lot of attention, paired with its amazing racing action. Now, The CW is working to build on that narrative with its driver profiles.

Allgaier will appear on the episode, “The Hostage Always Rings Twice,” which will air on March 30 at 8:00 p.m. ET. He is going to play himself in a NASCAR setting. He is more than happy to find himself a part of this new deal between NASCAR and the O’Reilly Series.

“It was great getting the opportunity to be a part of ‘Wild Cards.’ To get the chance to work with that incredible group is just a testament to what this partnership truly is between The CW and the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.”

However, Allgaier was not the only one to do so. He is among the many drivers who have been involved with The CW’s other efforts outside of racing.

Before him, drivers like Matt DiBenedetto would go on to attend a Savannah Bananas game, and Cole Custer would get the chance to be a part of a WWE NXT event.

On that note, let’s have a look at The CW’s deal with NASCAR itself.

The CW set for fast-track progress with NASCAR

NASCAR and The CW are under a magnanimous $115M per annum deal. The Nexstar Media Group will work with NASCAR for seven years starting in 2025. Valued at $7.25 billion as of March 2026, according to Forbes, Nexstar Media Group is putting in every effort to rake in profit with this new deal.

As a part of their deal to solely air the O’Reilly Series, The CW is already making moves. Not only is it becoming a fan favorite broadcast network, but it is also giving the series much-needed recognition.

Additionally, The CW also mentions an increase in ad revenue through NASCAR. “Coming out of Year 1, we always say, ‘Sell against your success,’ so we did great with a lot of brands that embraced what we were doing.

“Some came to us early, some came to us mid-season, and some came to us late in the year, but that set up healthy conversations even before the end of the season to renew some of our larger big positions. So some incumbents and then new advertisers [are on board for 2026].”

For now, it seems like both The CW and NASCAR are benefitting immensely from their latest partnership, especially when you consider the fact that The CW is reporting a 10 percent increase in viewership.