After he already lost one sponsor this year, this 37-year-old NASCAR Cup Series racer is having another major sponsor pull out of their contract with him – and just ahead of his team contract coming to a close.
Great Clips has chosen to exercise a right-to-end option featured in the contract they signed with NASCAR driver, Kasey Kahne in 2016. The company has been a major sponsor of his Hendricks Motorsports No. 5 for five years, but will be the second major partner to call it quits after the 2017 season.
In a statement about the deal’s end, Great Clips president Steve Hockett said, “We have enjoyed our partnership with Hendrick Motorsports over the last five years. From top to bottom, Hendrick Motorsports is a first-class organization, and through our relationship, Kasey and the entire team have been excellent ambassadors of our brand,” adding, “With a shift in our marketing strategies, our partnership will come to an end at the conclusion of 2017.”
Previously, Kahne’s other big partner, Farmers Insurance, elected not to renew its 12-race contract after the 2017 season and with Great Clips’ exit, it puts Hendricks Motorsports on the hunt for a new sponsor – and possibly a new driver.
Kahne currently sits at 20th in the Monster Energy Cup Series standings and is 60 points shy of making it into the playoffs. In the last two years, Kahne has failed to enter the playoffs, and is sitting in the middle of a no-win streak that spans more than 90 races and almost three years.
While his team has not issued a statement on the sponsor’s abrupt exit, with his contract coming up for renewal in 2018, Hendrick Motorsports has the option to keep him on board, but as ESPN reports – it’s not unheard of for his team to buy out his contract early if they want to change it up.
What do you think about this new announcement? Do you think it was unexpected?
Watch the video below of a massive wreck between Kahne and Danica Patrick.