In the past 20 years or so, we’ve seen the price to actually compete in the highest levels of NASCAR increase substantially. As a result, the days of single companies footing the bill for an entire season — or simply sticking around for a long time — seem to have passed. The connections between drivers, fans and sponsors are not as strong as they once were. For some fans, it is used as a reason to back away from their fandom as they simply do not recognize who is who on the track.
Prior to the 2024 NASCAR season finale in Phoenix Raceway, this video that Denny Hamlin posted to his social media prior to the final race of the year indicated that his relationship with FedEx is over after more than 19 seasons. Although his time in the No. 11 doesn’t cover all of FedEx’s time with Joe Gibbs Racing (remember that its first driver was Jason Leffler), FedEx had backed Hamlin for his entire career in the NASCAR Cup Series.
To that end, we’re going to take a look at some of the longest and strongest relationships between a sponsor and a driver in NASCAR’s national series.
Austin Dillon & Bass Pro Shops
These days, some race fans are not the biggest fans of Austin Dillon. The finish from Richmond Raceway earlier this year is just the latest example of that.
One aspect of Dillon’s career that can be celebrated is his long-term relationship with Bass Pro Shops, one that predates his time in the Cup Series.
Bass Pro Shops has been a primary sponsor for Dillon since 2010, when he first began driving full time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. In two seasons there, Dillon won four races, had 17 top-five finishes, 32 top 10s, 12 poles and won the 2011 championship.
During Dillon’s time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Bass Pro Shops ultimately took a backseat to AdvoCare, but it was still on the car as an associate sponsor full time in both years, plus a couple of primary races in 2012. Dillon’s relationship is likely part of the reason why he raced the fall Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway in 2013 for Stewart-Haas Racing in place of the injured Tony Stewart.
When Dillon moved to Cup to replace Kevin Harvick in 2014, Bass Pro Shops made the move up as a primary sponsor for two races and an associate for the remainder of the year.
For the past 11 seasons, Bass Pro Shops has been an irregular presence with Dillon and Richard Childress Racing, in…
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