NAPA Auto Parts last night announced a multiyear deal with Hendrick Motorsports beginning in '16, when it becomes the primary sponsor of driver Chase Elliott and his No. 24 Chevy in the Sprint Cup Series. The expanded partnership will feature NAPA as a primary sponsor for 24 Sprint Cup races annually, including the Daytona 500, and as an associate-level partner in all other events. The agreement covers the '16-18 seasons. NAPA was the full-season primary sponsor during Elliott’s NASCAR Xfinity Series '14 campaign, when he became NASCAR’s youngest-ever national series champion. The auto parts retailer this season remains the sole primary sponsor for Elliott’s second full Xfinity Series season with JR Motorsports, along with the driver’s Sprint Cup debut schedule. Elliott will be a full-time Sprint Cup driver next season. Additional sponsorship for Elliott’s '16 Sprint Cup season will be announced at a later date (Hendrick Motorsports). USA TODAY's Jeff Gluck writes, "The last few years have been a roller coaster ride for NAPA, which was formerly a sponsor at Michael Waltrip Racing." But the company "pulled out after a race manipulation scandal in 2013 and was set to leave NASCAR altogether until it decided to take a chance on sponsoring Elliott's Xfinity Series ride at JR Motorsports last year" (USATODAY.com, 5/6).
