NASCAR: Kyle Larson gets new primary sponsor for 2018
By Alex Herbst
Heading out of the 2017 season, many weren’t sure who the new primary sponsors would be that would step up in NASCAR. Now, one has been announced.
The sponsorship dearth in NASCAR has grown intense heading into the 2017 offseason. Key partners for big teams like Hendrick Motorsports, Chip Ganassi Racing, and Joe Gibbs Racing may not be returning. Great Clips, Farmers Insurance, and Target have all announced their departures from the sport. But now, one key partner of the sport is increasing their support for the 2018 season.
Credit One Bank, which serves as the Official Credit Card of NASCAR, has increased their sponsorship of Chip Ganassi Racing for 2018. Per a release from the team, Kyle Larson will be sponsored for the majority of races in the #42 Chevy by the bank. No exact number of races for Credit One aboard Larson’s car has been announced. However, the expanded partnership will begin with the Daytona 500.
Larson is no stranger to having the bank aboard his ride. Credit One Bank sponsored the #42 car in a handful of 2017 races when Target cut back on their sponsorship. Prior to this, Credit One sponsored the #1 Chevy of Jamie McMurray in select races in 2016. It will remain an associate partner with McMurray for the bulk of the 2018 season.
Here it is, our 2018 @CreditOneBank @TeamChevy Camaro! The car looks awesome. Can’t wait to get it on track at the #Daytona500 pic.twitter.com/uledEccVMl
— Kyle Larson (@KyleLarsonRacin) November 28, 2017
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The move marks the end of a long pursuit by Ganassi for a replacement in NASCAR for Target. The largest competitor to Walmart has reinvested their funds into soccer instead of motorsports, dropping their sponsorship of Ganassi’s IndyCar team at the end of 2016. The team has still not replaced Target as a sponsor of Scott Dixon, with NTT Data serving as a de facto replacement for select 2017 races.
Larson will likely still need some additional sponsorship in 2018. With wording that suggests Credit One Bank will sponsor a majority but not all races, it remains to be seen what additional partners come aboard. First Data was a new sponsor that joined for two races in 2017, and could expand their deal in 2018. Additionally, some of McMurray’s sponsors like McDonald’s and Cessna could expand their deals, allowing secondary deals with GearWrench and Sherwin Williams to move over to the #42 car.
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Who are the other sponsors that you think will climb aboard the #42 Chevy of Kyle Larson in 2018? Will Larson’s performance on track in 2017 lure in any new names?