NASCAR: 5-Hour ENERGY leaving after 2018 season

5-Hour ENERGY will no longer sponsor Martin Truex Jr.’s #78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota after this season, as they are leaving NASCAR altogether.

Add Martin Truex Jr.’s name to the list of NASCAR Cup Series champions who are losing one of their primary sponsors for the 2019 season.

After it was announced in March that Lowe’s would be leaving Jimmie Johnson’s #48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet after the 2018 season concludes after sponsoring him ever since he made his Cup Series debut in the 2001 season, 5-Hour ENERGY have announced that they will be leaving Truex Jr.’s #78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota after the 2018 season concludes as well.

Here is what Furniture Row Racing president Joe Garone had to say about the matter, according to Furniture Row.

"“I want to first send a sincere thank you to everyone at 5-hour ENERGY for being an excellent and loyal partner. The way 5-hour ENERGY has activated its programs over the years demonstrated a commitment and creativity as a NASCAR race team sponsor. We understand that companies do change business strategies, but friendships last forever and that’s how we feel about 5-hour ENERGY.”“Being a perennial championship contending team with a talented driver in Martin, Furniture Row Racing continues to be committed in offering a new sponsor not only success on the racetrack but also the benefit of a strong marketing platform with our powerful team of partners – Bass Pro Shops, Auto-Owners Insurance, Toyota, Furniture Row and Denver Mattress.”"

Here is what the Rise’ Meguiar, the president of Sales for Living Essentials, which is the parent company of 5-hour ENERGY, had to say about the matter, according to Furniture Row.

"“Since joining Furniture Row Racing in 2017, the team has delivered on every promise. In addition to being a championship team, winning races and putting 5-hour ENERGY in victory lane multiple times, they have also become part of our family.“We cannot thank Barney Visser, Joe Garone, Martin and the entire Furniture Row Racing team enough for the pride they have given us. They are a first-class group on and off the track. Although 5-hour ENERGY has made the business decision to leave NASCAR, we will be fans and friends for life, and we look forward to finishing strong in 2018.”"

This may not hurt Furniture Row Racing as much as Lowe’s leaving Johnson’s car, however, as Truex Jr. has Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats and Auto-Owners Insurance as primary sponsors with Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats on his car (along with 5-Hour ENERGY) for the majority of this season’s races. Meanwhile, Johnson has never had a primary sponsor other than Lowe’s in his Cup Series career.