GoDaddy this morning announced it is leaving NASCAR at the end of the '15 season and will not renew its primary sponsorship of driver Danica Patrick's No. 10 Chevy car with Stewart-Haas Racing. The company is negotiating to keep Patrick as a spokesperson under a personal services agreement. Patrick has been sponsored by GoDaddy since the '07 IndyCar season, and the company remained as her primary sponsor as she transitioned into NASCAR (GoDaddy). GoDaddy CMO Phil Bienert said that leaving NASCAR "was strictly a business decision." He said data had started to show the company was "past brand marketing in the U.S." Patrick this morning said, "I'm a little surprised and I'm sad. But to say I didn't imagine this was not a scenario would be a lie" (AP, 4/29). Patrick said that she "hoped to continue the relationship" with GoDaddy. USA TODAY's Brant James notes in addition to GoDaddy, Patrick has "carried Aspen Dental and TaxACT as main sponsors on her car for a handful of races." GoDaddy CEO Blake Irving and Patrick had "espoused a satisfaction with their relationship as she transitioned to NASCAR, with Irving declaring that her on-track performance did not matter." But James notes Patrick's role as the face of the company in TV commercials "had waned in recent years as its marketing campaign shifted more toward small businesses" (USATODAY.com, 4/29). YAHOO SPORTS' Nick Bromberg notes the news "comes as Patrick is in the final year of her contract at Stewart-Haas Racing." Both Patrick and team officials "have expressed optimism that she'll sign an extension with the team, however finding funding is now also necessary to keep Patrick with the team" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 4/29).
