Nationwide drops No. 88 race car
Nationwide is ending its sponsorship of the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports car that used to be driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr.
The insurer has been the primary sponsor of the vehicle since 2015, part of an effort by Nationwide to deepen its ties to NASCAR and spending on other sports.
“Since 2015, Nationwide has had the pleasure of being the primary sponsor of the No. 88 team — first with Dale Earnhardt Jr. as the driver and then with Alex Bowman,” Nationwide said in a statement. “In that time, the platform has played a valuable role in building the Nationwide brand, sharing with NASCAR fans our noble purpose of protecting what matters most to our members and raising money and awareness for Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.
“As Nationwide’s business needs evolve, we are adjusting our marketing resources to ensure that we are aligning to those new business priorities.”
Nationwide said it will step away from the Hendrick team at the end of the year.
“We have not made this decision lightly, given our 20-plus year involvement in NASCAR and our deep appreciation for Rick Hendrick, Alex Bowman, Hendrick Motorsports, and the millions of NASCAR fans we have engaged with over the years,” the company said.
“We understand the changing dynamics of business, and we’re grateful to the entire team at Nationwide for their wonderful partnership over the past five years,” Rick Hendrick, owner Hendrick Motorsports, said in a statement.
“Whether it’s been winning races, competing in the NASCAR playoffs or our recent on-track performance, we have accomplished so much together. Off the track, we have been just as successful, from collaborating on national advertising campaigns to supporting the important mission of Nationwide Children’s Hospital.”
Once Nationwide’s deal with Hendrick expires, the insurer will have no active NASCAR sponsorships, but it does intend to remain involved with Earnhardt, who has continued to be a Nationwide spokesman after retiring from racing.
In 2020, Nationwide said it plans to host partners at select NASCAR races.