Nature’s Bakery this afternoon announced intentions to countersue NASCAR team Stewart-Haas Racing in a sponsorship issue that appears to be getting ever more contentious. SHR sued Nature’s Bakery earlier this month for breach of contract after the Nevada-based fig bar maker sent a note to SHR in mid-January saying it was going to terminate its three-year sponsorship deal worth $15.2M annually. In a sharply worded press release today, Nature’s Bakery called SHR’s suit a “false legal complaint.” A quote from company CEO Kelly Allin adds, “Contrary to its image, SHR is run by big-business types that took advantage of Nature’s Bakery. They now are threatening scorched earth litigation against a multi-generational family company. We’re obviously not going to let them bully us. We may be a small brand, but we do not think what they are doing is right. We look forward to defending ourselves in court.”
The loss of Nature’s Bakery has left SHR with around 20 races to fill heading into the season, but that effort was helped with this week’s announcement that Aspen Dental was stepping up its commitment with Danica Patrick’s No. 10 Ford from four races to at least 10.
