Truex, Furniture Row seeking new primary sponsor for 2019

Posted July 18, 2018 7:00 am

The Associated Press

DENVER (AP) - Furniture Row Racing and defending NASCAR Cup Series champion Martin Truex Jr. are looking for a new sponsor.

The team said Wednesday that 5-hour ENERGY will end its activity in NASCAR after this season, leaving the No. 78 Toyota seeking a primary backer for 2019. This season, 5-hour ENERGY was the co-primary sponsor on the No. 78 along with Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats for 30 Cup races.

The energy shot company has been a primary NASCAR sponsor for nearly a decade, including the last seven at the Cup level. Rise' Meguiar, sales president for company parent Living Essentials, praised Furniture Row and said it was simply a business decision.

In March, Lowe's said it would not sponsor seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson after this season and other major backers have scaled back on auto racing spending, including Target, Home Depot, Sprint, UPS, Subway, GoDaddy and Best Buy.

Joe Garone, president of Furniture Row Racing, said a new sponsor will become one of the highest-profile brands in NASCAR and a partner with the namesake Furniture Row, Bass Pro Shops, Auto-Owners Insurance, Toyota and Denver Mattress.

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More AP auto racing: https://racing.ap.org

Martin Truex Jr. (78) leads the pack to start the NASCAR Cup Series auto race Saturday, July 14, 2018, at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Ky. (Kareem Elgazzar/The Cincinnati Enquirer via AP) The Associated Press

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