By Caleb Whisler, Staff Writer
The sponsorship search is still on for Jimmie Johnson and the No. 48 team, but the interest is high for potential sponsors.
On March 14, Lowe’s and Hendrick Motorsports announced that the long-time sponsorship of Lowe’s in NASCAR will end at the conclusion of the 2018 season.
According to Johnson, Hendrick Motorsports has about six sponsors interested, including Red Bull. Johnson hopes that to announce something in the near future.
“We will hopefully have something to announce in the near future, but the excitement about the No. 48 car, the multiple companies that are interested and the ideas and the ways that people would like to use us are very exciting and encouraging,” Johnson stated.
With a long-time sponsor leaving like Lowe’s, there was some fear about finding a new sponsor, but with interest from companies, those fears have subsided.
“We don’t want to see Lowe’s leave. We have had such an amazing run with them and there is a little bit of fear associated with such a big sponsor and such an integral part of Hendrick Motorsports leaving, but the response has been very strong and very well,” Johnson considered.
Since the very beginning of the sponsorship search, Johnson wanted to be involved. The veteran driver realized how much work the process is.
“The process is long. A lot of conversing and ideas and you feel like sometimes a conversation with a given company is going in a different direction and then they go and go to work and brainstorm and come back with a new idea and angle,” Johnson said.
Although the process is long, Johnson has enjoyed the process and the learning opportunities it has provided through his own connections and the connections of Rick Hendrick.