It looks like Denny Hamlin’s difficult position just got worse. Hamlin has been racing in the Cup Series for 2 decades, but despite being extremely close many times, he has never claimed the title. This year, before the Bristol race, his entry into the top 12 seemed iffy, but coming 4th in the last race put him in the safe zone. Now that he is safe, you must be wondering what makes his situation worse.
By now, many know that FedEx is one of the biggest sponsors for the No. 11 car. The entire vehicle is decked out in purple, orange, and white, with the doors and hood having the brand’s logo on them, and JGR gets close to $25 million from them annually. It was back in 2005 when the company decided to sponsor Denny Hamlin, and after 19 years of working together, there is news about them parting ways. Although the news surfaced on X first, it was Kenny Wallace who made a detailed video about it, and here is what he had to say.
Kenny Wallace discusses Denny Hamlin’s sponsorship loss
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Everything started when Adam Stern took to X to share the news about Hamlin’s sponsorship. Stern put up a post saying, “@FedEx is expected to continue reducing its sponsorship presence with @JoeGibbsRacing after this season and could conclude the longtime deal altogether, per sources, a move that would end one of the more winning driver-sponsor combos in @NASCAR history.”
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Seeing this news, Kenny Wallace decided to put out a video discussing what this means for the team and why such a statement was made. Although Joe Gibbs Racing and FedEx have not put out an official statement, Wallace shared his thoughts on how this will impact the team. In the video put up on YouTube, Wallace claimed, “FedEx might be leaving Joe Gibbs Racing altogether with driver Denny Hamlin.”
Wallace explained how this is not sudden news as “FedEx has been cutting back since, well, for a long time. FedEx has been… you know, if you notice, FedEx has not been on Denny Hamlin’s car all the time.” After pointing out what he noticed with the brand, Wallace spoke about why this could have happened. Wallace predicted that the company had to reduce their budget by around a billion dollars, although their stocks have been doing well in the market.
Clearing out Joe Gibbs Racing‘s name from being called the team that lost a sponsor, Wallace said, “I think FedEx just got business issues, and that is not Joe Gibbs’ fault.” According to Wallace, “This is one of the best sponsor relationships ever in NASCAR history,” but he also said that even if JGR won every race, the sponsors would still have to leave. The team has managed to land some of the biggest sponsors in the history of the sport, and now Wallace thinks that they will be losing out on them.
via Getty DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA—SEPTEMBER 01: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 Sport Clips Haircuts Toyota, looks on after the NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on September 1, 2024, in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images)
Giving the example of how M&M decided to walk out on the team, Wallace believes that they did it only because they wanted to change courses. Ultimately, he blamed JGR’s course change to be the reason why their sponsors were leaving them. Denny Hamlin on the other hand, started the season strong and managed to win 3 races this season. Unfortunately, one of the wins was denied as Toyota Racing Development made a mistake for which the team had to pay. Recently, the No. 11 car is not doing as well as it was earlier.
With Denny Hamlin under pressure to keep his spot in the playoffs, could his performance be the reason for losing out on the sponsorship deal?
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Is Denny Hamlin the reason why FedEx is leaving?
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According to Kenny Wallace, it’s not the fault of anyone from JGR as to why FedEx is leaving. However, until the specifics are let out, it’s only fair to consider every possible reason. Sure, Denny Hamlin has not performed well in the last few races before Bristol, but with him in the safe zone of the top 12, the tides are turning. Hamlin still has a shot at the championship, and for that, he needs to make sure to avoid wrecks on the tracks, which have been the reason for his unsatisfactory finishes.
With Hamlin in the safe zone of the playoffs, it only makes sense to continue the sponsorship that has lasted almost 2 decades. As of now, there is no confirmation that FedEx will break the partnership; however, their reduced involvement with the No. 11 team has been noticed. Well, whatever the reason, the No. 11 team needs to find a full-time sponsor to keep their boat afloat.
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via Getty Richmond, Virginia, August 10: Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Rewards Toyota, looks on during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway on August 10, 2024, in Richmond, Virginia. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images) )
So far, Hamlin’s place in the playoffs is comforting for fans, but that can change with a single race. With things looking like they are not going according to Hamlin, do you think that they will be able to retain FedEx as a sponsor for 2025? Share your thoughts in the comments below.