3M shifts sponsorship from Greg Biffle to Jeff Gordon

Jeff Gordon and Hendrick Motorsports have signed a new sponsor for 2015, while the viability of Roush Fenway Racing is put further into question.

For the next three years 3M will be the primary sponsor on Gordon’s No. 24 car in 11 races, and an associate sponsor in all other events. 3M had previously been a long-time sponsor for Roush Fenway’s Greg Biffle.

The move solidifies sponsorship for Gordon following the AARP Foundation’s Drive to End Hunger reducing its primary sponsorship from 22 races to 13 in 2015 last week. Other sponsors include Pepsi, Panasonic and Axalta.

In addition to AARP scaling back, Hendrick is also losing the National Guard as a 20-race sponsor for Dale Earnhardt Jr. When asked Friday about the apparent sponsorship gaps within Hendrick, Gordon smiled and without elaborating said, “Lot of positive good things have been happening. There is more to come.”

Less certain is how Roush Fenway plans to replace 3M, which had sponsored Biffle since 2004. Biffle re-signed with the team last month, and during contract negotiations indicated 3M would be returning for another season. Now, however, the No. 16 team is without a primary sponsor.

But Roush Fenway president Steve Newmark said the organization is encouraged about its sponsorship situation for next season in a series of tweets Tuesday.

“We have some exciting ‘15 partnership announcements for the No 16 coming in the next few weeks and look forward to sharing soon,” Newmark tweeted. “We’re thankful for the 10-yr relationship we’ve enjoyed with 3M that’s included some of Roush Fenway’s most memorable victories.”