NAPA renewing for full season with MWR

NAPA last week became the third team sponsor on NASCAR’s highest level in the last year to announce a full-season sponsorship renewal.

Sources familiar with the brand’s decision said it had agreed to a three-year deal with Michael Waltrip Racing as the primary sponsor for all 36 Sprint Cup races on the No. 56 car. The agreement is valued at $16 million a year.

MWR was expected to announce the deal and an extension of its contract with driver Martin Truex Jr. during a news conference last Friday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. NAPA follows Miller Lite and 3M as the third full-season sponsor to retain all 36 races after its current contract ended.

The number of full-season sponsors dropped from seven to five this year after UPS opted to decrease the number of races it sponsored at Roush Fenway Racing from 36 to fewer than 10 races, and Home Depot sold off 10 of its races to Dollar General on the No. 20 car at Joe Gibbs Racing.