Stewart-Haas Racing drivers Clint Bowyer and Danica Patrick have "as many as 40 races" in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series for which they need a "full sponsor," according to Bob Pockrass of ESPN.com. But SHR "isn't the only organization" in the Cup Series that "still has plenty of races to fill" over the 36-event schedule. Joe Gibbs Racing's Matt Kenseth "has 20 races of sponsorship unannounced this year." Hendrick Motorsports is "still looking for 11 races overall." Roush Fenway Racing's Cup team has "open races for both its drivers, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Trevor Bayne." Companies that exited their NASCAR team sponsorship deals after last season include Dollar General, Cheez-It, Zest, Nature's Bakery, KFC and Thrivent Financial, while Farmers Insurance "already has announced" that '17 will be its last year sponsoring Kasey Kahne. Teams say that there is "no one reason why sponsors leave." RFR President Steve Newmark said, "I wish there was. ... Although we get the feedback, it hasn't helped us from a macro perspective." Newmark: "Every team is somewhat unique in where they are with their sponsor pipeline. I don't think the whole garage rises and falls in the same manner. Last year, I would say the pipeline wasn't as deep. This year, I think we've had more interest." Pockrass wrote some struggling teams "sell the hood of their car for reportedly low five-figures a race if they get desperate, creating a decision for many organizations on whether to take less money than they think it really is worth just to have something." Many Cup cars have "multiple sponsors, and that can cause a trickle-down effect to the smaller teams and to other series." A $5M investment may get "half a season at a smaller team as opposed to 10 races at a bigger one." There also are "options to sponsor a car in more races in other series" (ESPN.com, 3/9).
