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The 2024 Cup Series season saw multiple highly valued brands leave NASCAR and its Cup Series teams. Many left due to failed sponsorship obligations, while others did not renew their contracts. The names in question have been longtime associates of the most elite form of stock car racing.
As years passed, their relationship with the sport strengthened, and at the same time, their names became synonymous with NASCAR and subsidiaries. With the conclusion of the 2024 season, a few renowned names called off their relationship with NASCAR.
In today's article, we take a look at three major sponsors who left NASCAR in 2024:
#3. Hooters
Hooters, a long-time sponsor of Hendrick Motorsports, left NASCAR abruptly. During the 2024 season, chatters within NASCAR began to surface that Hooters did not pay their sponsorship obligations to HMS they owed for sponsoring Chase Elliott's #9 Chevrolet since 2017.
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Hendrick Motorsports released a statement on this, which established the claims. The team stated,
"Hooters has been a valued partner of Hendrick Motorsports since 2017, contributing to our shared successes both on and off the track. In recent months, however, Hooters has not been able to meet its business obligations to our organization."
Hooters set their sights on NASCAR in 1983, and entered the sport eight years later by sponsoring Alan Kulwicki. They remained in the sport ever since, and in 2017 they tied up with Hendrick Motorsports to sponsor NASCAR's Most Popular Driver award winner of recent times.
#2. FedEx
Over the years, FedEx has been absolutely synonymous with Denny Hamlin's #11 Toyota at Joe Gibbs Racing. However, the globally renowned brand will no longer sponsor Hamlin from the 2025 Cup Series season. Hamlin and FedEx's final race in NASCAR was the 2024 Championship 4 race at Phoenix Raceway.
FedEx sponsored Hamlin for a steady 19 years and made the JGR driver's #11 purple and white car synonymous with the brand. As FedEx left the sport, Joe Gibbs Racing and Denny Hamlin at the end of 2024, the #11 driver left a "Thank You" note on X to mark the end of their celebrated partnership.
FedEx reduced its NASCAR operations back in 2021 because of its cost-cutting measures. They reduced their sponsorships from 32-36 races per year to 30. In 2023, they reduced it down to 12. The number has gone down even further in 2024.
FedEx's departure is a big blow for Joe Gibbs Racing, as they have become the second big name to leave the Joe Gibbs-owned team in as many years. Mars Incorporated and its M&M brand left JGR with Kyle Busch at the end of 2022.
#1. GEICO
GEICO left NASCAR at the end of the 2024 Cup Series season. The renowned insurance company was one of NASCAR's four premier partners (the others being Coca-Cola, Xfinity, and Busch Beer). GEICO has been associated with NASCAR since 2009, and for the first time in 16 years, they will no longer be associated with the sport.
They started off by being the primary sponsor of Germain Racing's #13 Chevrolet from 2009 to 2020. However, after Germain Racing sold the team to Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan in 2021, GEICO transferred their sponsorship to NASCAR.
"The partnership between NASCAR and GEICO has demonstrated the immense value and weekly excitement that two consumer-driven brands can create, and we are proud of the extraordinary brand value, exposure, and growth opportunities we’ve built together," NASCAR released a statement on GEICO.
Besides this, they have also been a sponsor for the GEICO 500 race at Talladega Superspeedway. As GEICO left, the other three primary partners remained with NASCAR for the upcoming 2025 season. The search for a replacement for GEICO is already on.
