Sponsorship has always been a driving force for NASCAR drivers in finding the right opportunities and striving for success. Over the years we have seen some iconic sponsor/driver pairings such as Dupont-Jeff Gordon, Budweiser-Dale Jr., and Jimmie Johnson-Lowes. Continuing this trend, Mars, Inc. collaborated with Kyle Busch at JGR and enjoyed two Cup Series championships and 55 Cup Series races together.
But the $117 billion candy company decided to pull the plug on their NASCAR venture and took the exit door in 2022. This left Rowdy high and dry as he wasn’t able to find a prominent partner to support his team at JGR, which eventually forced him to jump ship to Richard Childress Racing in 2023. M&M’s departure from NASCAR was because of their shift in marketing strategy. They wanted to focus their attention on different consumer demographics and interests.
It wasn’t a bitter fallout by any means, but the fact that it left Kyle Busch in a ditch made it look really bad. But who knew that Rowdy’s former ally would be looking to re-enter NASCAR? Well, the rumor mills are predicting that M&M’s have found their new home, and no, it’s not with Rowdy or JGR.
ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad
Will M&M’s make their NASCAR comeback with Todd Gilliland?
This rumor started to swirl when FRM’s senior-most driver, Todd Gilliland, was seen posing with a yellow M&M helmet in a social media post. Although there’s no confirmation from the driver or the team regarding the new sponsorship deal, fans online were quick to jump the gun in forming links. On the other hand, drivers do not feature a sponsor on helmets without a purpose, so this appearance of M&M on Gilliand’s helmet has certainly been the talk of the town.
Interestingly, well before M&M’s partnered with Kyle Busch, they were in partnership with Robert Yates Racing. Todd’s father, David Gilliand, was supported by M&M’s during 2007 on the No. 38 car. The candy company’s first NASCAR Cup Series wins came with Elliott Sadler in 2004, who also raced for Roer Yates Racing. So, there is the family connection alongside their strong foundation with Ford Camp, which might bring them back to the sport.
“It makes sense for us to evaluate all of our investments, sports marketing or not, making sure we put the right investments in the right place. There is no malice and no lack of performance from NASCAR, and certainly not from Coach Gibbs and Kyle.” This was the statement Mars Inc. shared before departing from NASCAR, leaving a huge void within the industry.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Todd Gilliland (@toddgilliland_)
Now it is hard to guess if we could see M&M’s come back in the capacity of a primary sponsor at FRM. Ruedebusch Development & Construction and gener8tor have been announced as the primary sponsors for the No. 34 Ford Mustang. Then there is Love’s Travel Stop, which is also continuing its long-standing partnership with the team and will fund Todd Gilliland for multiple races in 2025.
The best-case scenario is we might see M&M’s return as a sponsor for a few events, and that sponsorship deal could be spread across the FRM drivers line-up. However, given that there’s no official announcement regarding the same, all of this could amount to nothing. After all, it’s just a rumor until it is confirmed. Speaking of sponsorship, we did see the return of Red Bull back to NASCAR for the first time since 2011. They will be the primary sponsor for Trackhouse Racing drivers Shane van Gisbergen and debutant Connor Zilisch.
Red Bull announces their comeback to NASCAR
ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad
Trackhouse Racing already has two Red Bull athletes on their squad. SVG has been with the energy drink brand since 2016, and Zilisch signed with them after the Xfinity Series win at Watkins Glen last season. SVG’s No. 88 car will feature the Red Bull schemes for five Cup Series races. They will also serve as the primary sponsor for Zilisch’s Cup debut at COTA.
Like M&M’s, Red Bull wasn’t able to reach their demographic target audience aged between 18 and 34. Moreover, without the support of any notable sponsors, they had to shut down their two-car operation back in 2011. A sponsorship role with a young and ambitious team like Trackhouse Racing is indeed a good option for them to roll out their new strategy. There’s also the opportunity to tap into younger audiences with NASCAR’s new media rights deal.
Team owner Justin Marks was excited about partnering with Red Bull while also hinting towards massive changes this partnership could bring to NASCAR. “This is bigger than Trackhouse; this is bigger than Red Bull alone; this is just the big moment for the sport of NASCAR. I mean, it is influential, and it’s a big moment for all of us, for the fans, the team, and the partners that Red Bull’s made a commitment to dive back in; everybody knows they don’t do anything small.”
ADVERTISEMENT Article continues below this ad
One thing is certain: there’s a different energy and vibe surrounding the 2025 NASCAR season. With positive updates and the return of a prominent sponsor, we might see NASCAR turn a corner for good in 2025.