“They still work with Kroger”: NASCAR insider absolutely clear about exited $42B worth sponsor’s continued pact with JTG Daugherty owners

NASCAR insider Bob Pockrass made an extremely clear remark about JTG Daugherty Racing owners Tad and Jodi Geschickter's ongoing relationship with Kroger, despite the sponsor's shift to Brad Keselowski. The supermarket giant has backed JTG Daugherty's Cup Series rides for the past 15 years but will move to RFK Racing from the 2025 season.

The most recent activity in NASCAR's silly season was Ryan Preece's confirmed Cup Series future. The former Stewart-Haas Racing driver was the only one without a seat for the next year. Though he was linked to join Keselowski's team along with his $42 billion worth of sponsor Kroger (as per Forbes), the possibility of it materializing depended on a third Cup car by RFK.

The team leased a third charter from Rick Ware Racing and announced yesterday that they inked a deal with Preece to field the #60 Ford. Kroger, Preece's sponsor at SHR, departed from JTG Daugherty Racing and joined forces with Keselowski's venture to sponsor all three cars -Keselowski's #6 Ford, Chris Buescher's #17 Ford, and Preece's #60 Ford.

Despite the supermarket giant exit from Geschickter's team, Tad and Jodi are still in business with Kroger, as per Bob Pockrass. He underlined that the couple owns a marketing agency -Brand Activation Maximizer (BAM) - that manages Kroger's sponsorship deals.

"Tad/Jodi Geschickter, founding operational owners of JTG Daugherty, own marketing firm that handles Kroger sponsorship. Kroger now at RFK & they still work w/Kroger. All year, JTG investor Gordon Smith has operated JTG & the sign indicates rebranding JTG to his company, Hyak," Pockrass wrote.

Ryan Preece's teammate Chase Briscoe secured a deal with Joe Gibbs Racing, Josh Berry went to Wood Brothers Racing, while Noah Gragson entered an agreement with Front Row Motorsports.

JTG Daugherty Racing owners seem to have changed the ownership of the team

JTG Daugherty Racing began fielding Cup Series entries in 2008 and tasted their first premier-level victory at the 2014 Watkins Glen, earned by AJ Allmendinger. The Harrisburg, North Carolina-based outfit has three wins to date, the most recent being Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s Talladega playoff race win.

While many sponsors came and went and so did drivers like Chris Buescher, Ryan Preece, AJ Allmendinger, and Bobby Labonte, to name a few, the Geschickter couple didn't quash their ownership. However, as reported by Bob Pockrass, co-owner Gordon Smith assumed operational control from Tad and Jodi this year.

As a result, the team will potentially be rebranded as Hyak Motorsports, inspired by Smith's maritime venture, Hyak Maritime.

"Rebrand for JTG team as it appears will be named Hyak Motorsports with owner Gordon Smith having assumed operational control from Tad and Jodi Geschickter this year. Hyak Maritime is the name of Smith’s maritime company in Washington," Pockrass wrote.

If JTG will be rebadged to Hyak Motorsports, it will be interesting to see how things will pan out for Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in the 2025 season.