#88 Team owner Rick Hendrick on Monday said Hendrick Motorsports was ‘very close” to a new multi-year sponsorship deal for Dale Earnhardts #88 ride in the Sprint Cup Series. ‘Ive not been worried about it because we could sell it if we wanted to piecemeal it. Weve been looking for the future’ Hendrick told the Charlotte Observer. ‘We dont want to get into (sponsor relationships) where you see somebody one time and you dont seem them anymore after that. I am very confident that in the next couple of weeks we should have not only this year (covered) but we should have a lot done for next year, too.” The majority of the #88s season is currently sponsored by the National Guard, Diet Mountain Dew and AMP Energy.( Charlotte Observer )(6-10-2013) UPDATE: The sponsor Hendrick Motorsports is close to signing to a multiyear deal for Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be new to NASCAR. HMS owner Rick Hendrick said the deal likely wont be completed in time for the sponsor to be on the hood for the July 6 race at Daytona International Speedway “ the first race in which the No. 88 was unsponsored. Hendrick said National Guard likely would be on the car at DIS. ‘Were going to have to switch some stuff around’ Hendrick said before Sundays Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway. NASCARs most popular driver entered the season with 13 unsponsored races. Hendrick insisted in February there was plenty of interest and he was looking for a long-term fit for the 88 and not a quick fix for this season. ‘This will be a pretty neat deal when we get to announce it, but I think were in good shape’ said Hendrick, not naming the sponsor other than to say it is new to the sport. ‘There hasnt been a lot of new sponsors in the sport just because of the economy and the way people go to market, a combination of a lot of things. [But] theres always been a lot of interest in him.”( ESPN )
