“We’ll see what goes on next year”: Denny Hamlin on JGR’s future sponsorships amid final race with FedEx

Following the championship race at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday, Denny Hamlin opened up about parting ways with his longtime sponsor, FedEx. The 312-lap event at the mile-long short track in Avondale, Arizona, was reportedly the last race for Joe Gibbs Racing with the shipping company as an official partner.

FedEx has been a close ally of Joe Gibbs Racing since 2005. Furthermore, their association with Denny Hamlin is the longest sponsor-driver relationship to exist in the Cup Series.

So what happens to the No. 11 JGR team after FedEx leaves? Who will fund Hamlin’s ride for 2024? When asked about it by journalist Bob Pockrass, the Tampa, Florida native said,

“It's a work in progress. I mean...we've got some good talks going on, but we'll see what goes on next year. Obviously, we've got some great partners that have been with the team for quite some time now.”(0:30)

However, the news of their exit from the JGR camp was not a surprise. FedEx has been cutting its investments in the Toyota team lately. In 2020, the company was Hamlin’s primary sponsor for all 36 races of the season, but in 2024, they funded only 13 point-paying races, including the Championship 4 at Phoenix.

Hamlin is a 54-time winner in the Cup Series. His victories include wins in the prestigious Daytona 500, the Southern 500, and the crown jewel Coca-Cola 600. Interestingly, only seven of his total wins came driving a FedEx-sponsored car.

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Denny Hamlin thanks FedEx for their support

Denny Hamlin and FedEx share a relationship that spans over two whole decades. Needless to say, the driver shares a special bond with the company. Therefore, to thank them for everything, Hamlin tweeted,

“Thank you, @FedEX.”

FedEx reshared the post with the following caption:

“What a ride it's been! Denny and the entire Joe Gibbs team, it’s been an incredible 20 years of racing with the best. #TeamFedEx will always be cheering you on.💜🧡”

Joe Gibbs Racing lost two major sponsors in the last two seasons. In 2022, Mars Incorporated and M&M announced they would rescind their sponsorship for Kyle Busch for the upcoming season. Busch left the organization that year and joined Richard Childress Racing, a team known to have fielded legendary drivers like Dale Earnhardt and Neil Bonnett.

Despite FedEx’s impending departure, there has been no news of Denny Hamlin leaving Joe Gibbs Racing. With that said, who sponsors him next year is the million-dollar question.