Will DuPont Continue to Sponsor Jeff Gordon?

Jeff Gordon has been sponsored by Delaware-based DuPont for 17 years, but with DuPont’s Hendrick Motorsports agreement expiring at the end of this season, some have wondered: Will Gordon have a new primary sponsor next year?

“Being involved with DuPont for all these years, I can’t imagine working with anybody else from a primary sponsor standpoint,” Gordon said Friday. “I didn’t say they weren’t coming back, just saying we’re in discussions with them.”

Gordon added that “we’re not really ready to talk about the details” but said much about the future of the longest driver-sponsor relationship in NASCAR depends on the economy.

DuPont used to hold hospitality events at every Sprint Cup race, but cut back to only six events in 2009, according to the Sports Business Journal.

But SBJ reported in March that DuPont has rebounded with 23 hospitality events this year – perhaps a sign that things are turning around.

“With the economy, the way it’s been in the last couple years, you just don’t know exactly where it’s all going to play out,” Gordon said. “I feel pretty confident that we’re going to work something out with them and continue to work with them in the future.”

A reporter asked Gordon if winning Dover would be more special because of DuPont. Gordon politely said no without saying “no.”

“I feel like every weekend we get to the track and there’s something special about that track that would make it more meaningful to get that first win of the season,” he said. “Of course, right now we’re not really biased to any track. We want to get a win and we’re running good enough to win.”