hearing earlier this week that Chase and Bill Elliott, Rick Hendrick and Kelley Earnhardt Miller met with officials at the NAPA Auto Parts headquarters in Atlanta. No definite word on what the meeting was about. Chase Elliott, a Hendrick Motorsports development driver, is looking for a sponsor for whatever series he may run in 2014. His former sponsor, Aaron’s, decided not to sponsor Elliott in 2014 and ramp up their sponsorship of Brian Vickers in the #55 Michael Waltrip Racing Sprint Cup Series team for all the races in 2014 & 2015. NAPA Auto Parts had been a long time sponsor of Waltrip and his #56 team with soon to be former driver Martin Truex Jr. NAPA canceled their sponsorship of the #56 team and MWR after the ‘Richmond Scandal’ in September. It’ll be interesting to see what NAPA may do as rumors had them not returning to sponsor any NASCAR team in 2014 and sitting out the season and then rethinking their sponsorship plans. Have heard reports that NAPA did not want to sponsor a team in the Nationwide Series or Camping World Truck Series. Have heard that NAPA does not wish take over for Nationwide as the series sponsor what is now called the Nationwide Series when Nationwide leaves at the end of the 2014 season. Been told that NAPA only wants to sponsor a Sprint Cup Series team for a full season. Rumors also had NAPA moving over to the #78 Furniture Row Racing team with Martin Truex Jr. in some capacity.(11-15-2013)
UPDATE Chase Elliott to run full season for JR Motorsports, NAPA Returns: Chase Elliott will compete full time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for JR Motorsports starting in 2014 and do so with NAPA AUTO PARTS as his full-season primary sponsor. With Elliott as its driver, the 2014 season will mark NAPA’s 19th in NASCAR sponsorship. NAPA (National Automotive Parts Association) has more than 6,000 stores nationwide with more than 400,000 quality parts and accessories for automotive and industrial applications – the most extensive inventory in the industry. NAPA headquarters is in Atlanta, Ga., just a short distance from Elliott’s hometown of Dawsonville, GA. ‘NAPA is pleased to continue its long standing involvement in NASCAR, the most popular form of motorsports in the United States supported by its many loyal and passionate fans,’ commented Dan Askey, President of NAPA. ‘Equally, we are proud to form this new partnership with JR Motorsports. Kelley Earnhardt Miller, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Rick Hendrick and its many employees have developed one of the premier teams in the Nationwide Series. Chase Elliott is a young and talented, future star in the sport and will represent NAPA well both on and off the track. We welcome Chase and the entire JR Motorsports organization to the NAPA Family.’ Elliott will carry the #9 on his NAPA Chevy – the same number his father, legendary racer Bill Elliott, carried for much of his storied career that included the 1988 Sprint Cup Series championship. The 2014 season will mark the younger Elliott’s Nationwide Series debut. He turned 18 on Nov. 28, becoming eligible for competition. ‘This is the opportunity of a lifetime,’ Chase Elliott said. ‘My family and I are still trying to believe it all. I couldn’t ask to be partnered with anyone better than Dale Jr., Kelley and Mr. Hendrick, along with all of the people at their organizations who have put in countless hours to pull this together.’(JR Motorsports/NAPA), see an image of the car on the #9 NNS team paint schemes page.(1-6-2014)
