Axalta Coatings Systems, formerly DuPont Performance Coatings, today announced a three-year contract extension to sponsor NASCAR driver Jeff Gordon's No. 24 Sprint Cup Chevy through '16. Axalta will serve as the primary sponsor for the car for 10 races each of the next three years and will continue its associate sponsorship status for the remaining races. The Axalta logo will appear on the hood of the car for the first time at Sunday's Party in the Poconos 400 at Pocono Raceway. Terms of the deal were not disclosed (Hendrick Motorsports). USA TODAY's Jeff Gluck notes Axalta's contact with Hendrick Motorsports "was set to expire after this season and had been the topic of speculation ever since DuPont spun off its paint division last year" (USATODAY.com, 6/6). Gordon appeared on CNBC this morning, where a video showed the unveiling of the Axalta paint scheme for Sunday's race. Gordon said, "This is the new launch of their logo. We've shown some of their brands, but this is the first time that they’ve actually unveiled the logo which I'll be racing in Pocono." Dupont first sponsored Gordon in '92, and CNBC's Carl Quintanilla noted the partnership with Gordon is "one of the longest relationships between and driver and a sponsor I think in the entire sport." Gordon was asked if he had any input into the look of the logo, and he said the "black with the flames I did have a say in that." He noted while driving quarter midgets at 7 years old he had a helmet "that was black with flames on it." Gordon: "I said, 'One day I want to have a race car to match this in the Cup series'" ("Squawk on the Street," CNBC, 6/6).
