How will Danica Patrick's team fill sponsor gap?
One day after filing a $31.7 million breach of contract lawsuit against Nature’s Bakery, Stewart-Haas Racing executives were attempting to avoid a major disruption for Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver Danica Patrick, whose No. 10 Ford is without its main benefactor less than two weeks before the season starts.
So how will SHR fill the empty race slots?
Though team officials have not spoken about the lawsuit or the way forward, there is an expectation that Patrick’s 36-race Cup schedule would be cobbled together with existing sponsors TaxAct, Aspen Dental and Code 3 Associates expanding their commitments. It would be expected that TaxAct and Aspen Dental could move to the fore at SpeedWeeks with one taking over the primary sponsorship in the non-points Clash and the other in the season-opening Daytona 500 on Feb. 26 (2 p.m. ET, Fox).
Aspen Dental originally had been committed to four races this season, TaxAct and Code 3 Associates three each. Nature’s Bakery, which terminated its sponsorship agreement with SHR on Jan. 19, had sponsored 28 races in 2016, the first year of its contract.
SHR president Brett Frood did not grant interviews Saturday. Nature's Bakery has not commented on the suit, filed by SHR in North Carolina superior court.
Nature’s Bakery had contracted to pay $15.2 million each season for three years to serve as Patrick’s primary title sponsor. The Nevada-based fig bar purveyor would have been responsible for at least 20 and up to 25 points races this season. The company, founded by father Dave Marson and son Sam Marson, is much smaller than most Fortune 500 companies that have their logos sprawled on Cup cars. The amount of money required to carry a primary sponsorship for NASCAR's premier level can be daunting, especially for a smaller group or a first-time investor.
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Patrick, 34, is one of NASCAR's biggest stars and most popular drivers, with international recognition. While her results in stock cars have been modest - she has six top-10s and a Daytona 500 pole in 154 starts - her ability to attract fans and viewers, especially in a demographic NASCAR craves (millenials and women and children) cannot be understated. She came to stock cars after a successful seven-year career in IndyCar, during which she became the only woman to win a race and the first to lead the prestigious Indianapolis 500. She was third in the 2009 event, the highest finish by a woman.
Patrick also shares facets of her private life on social media that are appealing to a variety of people. She is a foodie and loves to cook, often showing off creations she makes for boyfriend and fellow Cup driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr. on Instagram. Patrick also touts the importance of fitness, particularly yoga. Her own brand of active wear clothing - Warrior - went on sale last month.
According to the lawsuit, SHR claims Nature's Bakery was unhappy with Patrick's use of social media in pushing another brand, but history reveals that the company liked and shared several of her posts touting their fig bars. Nature's Bakery has not commented about the suit or Patrick's social media promotion of their brand.
It is unclear how Patrick’s situation will unfold or intertwine with that of new teammate Clint Bowyer, who is replacing retired team co-owner Tony Stewart in the No. 14 Ford. Bowyer’s program has few announced sponsored races this season, but he participated in pre-season production activities in a Mobil 1 uniform. During last week's media tour, Patrick appeared in her TaxAct suit, noteworthy because it superceded Nature's Bakery's profile. When asked about the change, SHR released this statement to Paste BN Sports:
“Nature’s Bakery and Stewart-Haas Racing are in discussions about how the sponsorship might look in 2017. Both sides have options, and it’s a matter of determining what is best for both parties. Stewart-Haas Racing remains focused on its preparation for the 2017 NASCAR season where it will again field four entries in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series while also introducing a full-time NASCAR XFNITY Series team.”
Patrick and Bowyer are in the unique position of working for an owner – Gene Haas – who has self-sponsored in NASCAR (including driver Kurt Busch, who races the No. 41 Ford out of the SHR stable) and in Formula 1, where he started a two-driver team last year. Haas owns a lucrative line of automated machine tools, but millionaires don’t become billionaires running unsponsored race cars.
Patrick had been primarily sponsored by domain name registrar GoDaddy from her 2010 IndyCar season until 2015, when the company opted to shift its focus to international markets and small business.
Patrick tied her career best with a 24th-place points finish last season and improved her average finish to a career-high 22nd.
Follow James on Twitter @brantjames
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