hearing National Guard could end up being the sponsor, either whole or in part, of the #25 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy that Casey Mears will drive in 2007. No word if current #25 primary sponsor, GMAC, stays as a co-sponsor or would leave the team. National Guard currently sponsors the #16 Roush Racing Ford of Greg Biffle, supposedly Subway could step up full time or be co-sponsors with Ameriquest [sponsors a slew of Roush Racing Busch cars] or 3M.(7-30-2006)
UPDATE: been told the National Guard will move to the #25 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy and will team up to co-sponsor the team with GMAC.(8-19-2006)
UPDATE 2: Beginning in 2007, the Army National Guard will join forces with longtime Hendrick Motorsports partner GMAC to sponsor the #25 Chevry driven by Casey Mears in the Nextel Cup Series. “This is a fantastic day for our organization,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. “We take an enormous amount of pride in welcoming the men and women of the National Guard and continuing our time-honored relationship with GMAC. These are two incredible groups that share our vision for the #25 team and its bright future.” Mears, 28, will drive the new-look #25 National Guard/GMAC Chevy in the car’s on-track debut this February at Daytona. “The National Guard is looking forward to joining the #25 Hendrick Motorsports team,” said Col. Mike Jones, chief of the Army National Guard’s Strength Maintenance Division. “NASCAR continues to be a vital component of our recruiting and retention programs, and we believe this new relationship will further enhance our involvement in the sport.” GMAC’s association with Hendrick Motorsports is one of the longest and most successful sponsor-team relationships in NASCAR. Headquartered in Detroit, the company joined Hendrick in 1993 and has since been featured in some form on 10 championship-winning race cars, including two as a primary sponsor. The red, white and blue #25 Chevy design will make its first public appearances during activities surrounding the Jan. 7 GMAC Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala. New enlistees of the Alabama National Guard will be sworn in on the field prior to the game featuring Ohio University and the University of Southern Mississippi. For more information, visit the National Guard website at www.1-800-GO-GUARD.com.(Hendrick Motorsports PR), see an image of the paint scheme on my Paint Schemes Gallery.(12-22-2006)
