One of Jeff Gordon’s longtime sponsors, Axalta, will shift to backing Dale Earnhardt Jr. beginning next season, Hendrick Motorsports announced Tuesday.
Jeff Gordon sponsor switches to Dale Earnhardt Jr. for 2016
Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s No. 88 car will carry Axalta sponsorship in 13 races beginning next season.
Axalta will serve as Earnhardt’s primary sponsor in 13 Sprint Cup races annually through the 2018 season. That is an increase of three races per season over its current deal with Gordon. The company will also act as a continual major associate sponsor on Earnhardt’s No. 88 car.
Largely through the DuPont brand, Gordon has been associated with Axalta since his 1992 debut in NASCAR’s premier series with the brightly colored No. 24 car becoming one of the most iconic paint schemes in the sport’s history. Axalta purchased DuPont in 2013.
Gordon, a four-time Cup Series champion, is retiring at the conclusion of the current season. He will continue as an Axalta spokesperson and global business advisor.
“We began a journey 23 years ago with Hendrick Motorsports and a young driver named Jeff Gordon,” Axalta vice president Nigel Budden said. “Eighty poles, 92 wins and four championships later, we are proud of the run we’ve had with Jeff. Now, we are delighted to continue our relationship with Hendrick Motorsports and to adorn the hood of Dale Earnhardt Jr.‘s No. 88 Chevy SS with the Axalta logo in 2016.
“As our slogan says, ‘We Paint Winners,’ and by joining Dale we will continue to do so for years to come.”
The partnership between Hendrick and Axalta extends beyond NASCAR. Last month, the company recently broke ground on a 45,000 square-foot Customer Experience Center located at Hendrick’s Concord, N.C., headquarters.
Earnhardt in addition to Axalta also has Nationwide Insurance (21 races) and TaxSlayer (one) as primary sponsors for the 2016 season with just one of the 36-race schedule open.
“Axalta and Hendrick Motorsports have an incredible story,” Earnhardt said. “For me, it’s meaningful to work with a sponsor that’s been so committed to our sport and has such a rich history in NASCAR. Continuing the partnership is special for all of us, and I’m already excited about what the car will look like. I’m really looking forward to the opportunity.”
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