The NASCAR silly season need not be only about the driver movements and crew chiefs jumping from one team to another. Going by the recent trends, sponsors have also joined in this off-season drama. Gone are those days when sponsors used to line up to feature on the race cars; now, teams have to get hold of multiple partners to get the necessary funding. Well, this has led to a tug-of-war-like situation between the teams, as, like the driver’s market, everyone wants the best partners to join them. Now, adding to this storyline are Denny Hamlin’s team, JGR, and Brad Keselowski from RFK Racing.

And let’s just say it was Keselowski’s team who fired the first shots after stealing JGR-linked retail giant Kroger. With the turn of events, it is JGR who is now looking for payback in taking away one of Keselowski & Co.’s major sponsors. This comes after Hamlin’s long-time partner, FedEx, parted ways with the team this season. So, they require a new sponsor that can fund the No. 11 team in 2025.

The family-owned baker, The King’s Hawaiian, has been with RFK Racing since 2022. With good exposure and visibility to continue their partnership in 2023 and 2024, featuring mostly on the No. 6 RFK Racing Ford Mustang. Well, it was all looking good, and the extension was probably on its way for next year, but things changed when Kroger signed up with RFK Racing.

Now, we all know how Brad Keselowski wouldn’t confirm the addition of a third car to the team, teasing the possibility just a day after the 2024 season concluded: “Look for several (official) big announcement from RFK in the next 2 weeks,” he tweeted. After multiple questions regarding the addition of a third charter, courtesy of FOX’s Bob Pockrass, Keselowski finally revealed RFK Racing’s plans: “Our surprise announcement. The day has finally come. It’s a real shocker… Ryan Preece and Kroger on the [No. 60] car.” However, not many predicted the huge sponsorship deal along with the former SHR driver.

Tad and Jodi Geschickter, the former owners of JTG Racing, were linked with a move to Joe Gibbs Racing after working out sponsorship deals for them. Per Sports Business Journal, “Geschickter, who runs his Brand Activation Maximizer agency, started working with Joe Gibbs Racing [in 2022]… Since this most recent offseason, however, industry sources have identified Joe Gibbs Racing as a possible destination for Kroger in 2025 in a move that could bring Geschickter along with it.” But RFK Racing played their cards right and got Tad and Jodi to bring Kroger to their team.

“We’d like to thank Kroger and the vision of Tad and Jodi, without which we wouldn’t be in the position of growing with a third car in 2025 and beyond.” Keselowski’s team said in the press release after announcing their new deal. It sure looked like a masterstroke on RFK Racing’s part, but Denny Hamlin and JGR seem to have found a way to get even.

The reports from the Sports Business Journal stated that King’s Hawaiian “is in discussions with other teams in NASCAR about a switch, according to people familiar with the matter, stemming in part from a brand conflict with one of RFK’s new sponsors (Kroger).” Kroger has dozens of brands like Bimbo Bakeries under its umbrella, which concerns King’s Hawaiian. The retail giant also works with its vendors to help fund the sponsorships and share in the advertising revenue. There is a possibility that with this competing environment, the $2 billion-worth company might find a new alternative.

While neither King’s Hawaiian nor RFK has an official statement confirming it, the sponsor already has a couple of suitors waiting for it, and JGR is in the prime spot. “Sources say King’s Hawaiian has held talks with other NASCAR teams about possibly joining them in 2025 instead. The identities of those teams could not be confirmed by press time, but some top teams have clear open inventory, such as Joe Gibbs Racing.” 

With Denny Hamlin and the No. 11 JGR team a sponsor short after FedEx’s departure, this does seem like a preferred option. And if JGR can pull off this deal, it would serve as a payback against Keselowski’s team, who sneakily took the Kroger deal away from them. But there are more options for King’s Hawaiian to consider before joining JGR.

Where will King’s Hawaiian land next?

One of the other lucrative options the bakery brand can consider is with Hendrick Motorsports and Chase Elliott. Now, HMS did have Hooters linked to them as a partner for a limited number of races. However, with financial woes hitting the restaurant chain, they decided to pull the plug on their NASCAR project. In total, they featured in three NASCAR Cup Series races on the No. Chevy car. Unlike JGR, here, they will only have to commit for limited races, and the appeal of being linked to Hendrick Motorsports is an added plus.

So far all the reports that have come out are mere speculations and not a confirmed deal. So, there is a possibility that Brad Keselowski and RFK will devise a new plan and retain their sponsor. After all, King’s Hawaiian has had a good run with the team, and if all parties agree to a new deal, it would keep them at home. But again, there’s a very slim chance that this could happen.

The report by SBJ also mentioned that if King’s Hawaiian is unable to find the right suitor, they are open to leaving NASCAR for good. Given how big brands like M&M’s, FedEx, Hooters, and GEICO have taken an exit door, this decision shouldn’t come as a surprise to the fans.