Hendrick Motorsports has announced that NAPA Auto Parts has reached a multi-year contract extension with the team to continue serving as the majority sponsor of Chase Elliott’s No. 9 Chevrolet. The announcement was made at the 2022 NAPA Expo in Las Vegas.
NAPA Auto Parts will continue to serve as Elliott’s primary sponsor in 26 races annually, continuing a partnership that first began eight years ago. NAPA signed on as Elliott’s primary sponsor for his rookie year in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2014, and they have remained with him throughout a Cup Series career that now includes 16 career wins and the 2020 Cup Series championship.
“None of this is possible without NAPA,” Elliott said in a team press release. “I’m so thankful for their commitment to our team and their passion for what we do every weekend. I’ve been lucky to meet a lot of great folks from across the country who work for NAPA.
“All of us are really proud to represent a company that takes care of its employees and its customers and is driven to be successful in every aspect. I’m looking forward to what’s to come and celebrating more wins together.”
The agreement between Hendrick and NAPA preserves what has become one of the more recognizable and constant driver-sponsor combinations in NASCAR today — Something that has become a rarity as teams have gradually begun to rotate sponsors throughout the season. Compared to previous eras where one company served as primary sponsor for the entire season, many teams have come to rely on multiple sponsors encompassing anywhere from half the season to a third of the season or less.
As the lifeblood of a race team, a multi-year agreement with a major sponsor allows both a team and its driver stability and security — as is being illustrated right now at Joe Gibbs Racing, as the exit of longtime partner Mars Inc. — Kyle Busch’s primary sponsor since 2008 — has led to uncertainty about Busch’s future with the team and exactly who will drive the No. 18 Toyota next season.
NAPA’s sponsorship of Elliott gives the company the vast majority of the Cup season, though they share space with Elliott’s other sponsors throughout the year. Other sponsors featured on Elliott’s car this season include Hooters, Unifirst, Llumar, Kelley Blue Book, and Ashoc Energy Drink.
The new agreement also continues NAPA’s place as a long-standing sponsor in NASCAR. The company has sponsored many cars across NASCAR’s top three series throughout the past 30 years for drivers including Jimmy Means, Ron Hornaday, Michael Waltrip, Martin Truex Jr. and others.