Press release
CONCORD, N.C. (Aug 12, 2014) – 3M will join 11-time Sprint Cup Series
champions Hendrick Motorsports beginning with the 2015 NASCAR season when it
will become a primary sponsor of driver Jeff Gordon and his No. 24 Chevrolet SS
team.
The new relationship will feature 3M as a primary sponsor in 11
Sprint Cup races annually and as an associate-level partner in all other events.
The agreement covers the 2015, 2016 and 2017 NASCAR seasons.
All five of
3M's business units, which comprise more than $31 billion in annual sales, will
use the sponsorship in consumer promotions, product launches and
business-to-business opportunities.
“At 3M, we play to win, and we push
hard every day to do just that,” said Jesse Singh, senior vice president, 3M
Global Sales and Marketing. “With this deal, we align with champion driver Jeff
Gordon and an organization at the top of its game in Hendrick Motorsports. What
they do in the garage and on the track exemplifies what we’re all about in our
labs, plants and business teams around the world.”
With more than 65 of
its products used in the construction and maintenance of Sprint Cup Series race
cars, 3M for decades has played a key role in the success of NASCAR teams. The
company manufactures more than 80,000 different products and has been an
official NASCAR partner across several categories since 1995.
“The range
of 3M’s business is just incredible,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick
Motorsports. “It’s an amazingly diverse company that spends billions in research
and development to continue rolling out new and innovative products. We’re
already using many of them throughout the organization, and when you consider
the potential for both consumer and business-to-business programs connected to
our sport, the possibilities are endless.”
One of the most accomplished
drivers in NASCAR history, Gordon is a four-time Cup Series champion, and his 90
victories rank third on the all-time wins list. Currently second in points, he
has two victories, one pole position, seven top-five finishes and 15 top-10s in
22 Sprint Cup races this season.
“Innovation is what 3M is known for,”
said Gordon, 43, who has a lifetime contract with Hendrick Motorsports. “We’ve
seen that approach throughout their involvement in NASCAR, and it’s a terrific
fit for what we do at Hendrick Motorsports and with the No. 24 team. I’m
personally excited about the opportunities and thrilled to represent a company
that’s so passionately supported auto racing for such a long time.”
3M currently sponsors driver Greg Biffle and the No. 16 Ford team with Roush Fenway Racing.
