It’s the end of an era. Denny Hamlin and FedEx parted ways at the end of 2024, bringing an end to one of the most iconic driver- sponsor partnerships in recent years. The two have been associated with each other since the Joe Gibbs Racing driver made his NASCAR debut in 2005, and it was the longest-tenured sponsorship deal in the sport until last year. The logistics company had been scaling back its operations in the sport for years before deciding to withdraw from the stock car racing series entirely.

Even though the longstanding association is at an end, the unshakable bond between Hamlin and FedEx remains. The transport company recently gave the No. 11 Toyota driver a touching farewell letter and a gift ahead of the upcoming race at COTA.

Denny Hamlin gets a touching tribute by FedEx

Denny Hamlin and FedEx are a match made in heaven. The racer has become synonymous with the brand for almost two decades, with the iconic logo neatly plastered on his car’s livery and the fire suit. The logistics company has been reevaluating its investment in NASCAR ever since the COVID-19 pandemic and has steadily been scaling back its operations in the last few years. Worth an estimated $62.27 billion, the company went from sponsoring 30-plus races a year to just 13 in 2024, including the season finale at Phoenix Raceway last year, highlighting a shift in strategy with regard to endorsements.

FedEx has penned a heartfelt note for Denny Hamlin ahead of the third race of the season at Circuit of the Americas. As seen in an Instagram story uploaded on 28th February, the logistics giant wrote, “#11 Team. Together, we crafted something special; something to be extremely proud of. Now wrapped in different colors but still the same storied program – one of the best of all time. Wishing you the best this season and beyond! Always cheering you on, your FedEx family.” The transport company also gifted him a plane with their logo as well as a plaque card featuring the different FedEx livery cars the racer has driven over the years.

Before the season finale last year, Hamlin had paid tribute to his longstanding sponsor by uploading a video with the caption, “Thank you, FedEx.” The social media post featured iconic moments from the Joe Gibbs Racing driver’s career, highlighting the logistics giants’ rock-solid presence throughout the racer’s journey so far. In response, the company replied, “What a ride it’s been! Denny and the entire Joe Gibbs team, it’s been an incredible 20 years of racing with the best. #TeamFedEx will always be cheering you on.💜🧡”

Replacing FedEx will be a difficult task for Joe Gibbs Racing. The team has secured National Debt Relief as Denny Hamlin’s primary sponsor for four races in 2025, which includes the Daytona 500, Circuit of the Americas, Coca-Cola 600, and the race at Talladega Superspeedway. However, losing the logistics company has left a massive void in terms of brand recognition and funding, resulting in plenty of uncertainty for the year ahead.

Hamlin shares his thoughts on the ongoing sponsorship dilemma

Joe Gibbs Racing is a team in transition. Over the last few years, the racing side has lost two prominent sponsors in M&M and FedEx and has been struggling to replace them. M&M’s exit played a prominent role in Kyle Busch leaving the team for Richard Childress Racing in 2022 and the logistics giant’s departure has led to rumors about Denny Hamlin’s potential exit. However, apart from National Debt Relief joining in as a temporary sponsor, King’s Hawaiian has also joined in for four races in 2025.

Sharing his thoughts about the ongoing sponsorship landscape, Denny Hamlin candidly told Frontstretch, “Yeah, I mean, there’s a lot of good talks going on, a lot of good meetings and what not as regards to the #11 car and obviously when you have someone that’s part of the sport for 20 years like FedEx was then it’s certainly makes things a lot easier. But this is a different time, and certainly we feel confident that we’ll get through these things throughout the year.”

Earlier, the veteran racer had said that “sponsorships are hard to come by” and that money from those channels is “not flowing like they used to.” However, at a time when Red Bull is sponsoring Trackhouse Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing’s woes seem somewhat of a headscratcher. Could the sponsorship difficulties have something to do with the ongoing anti-trust lawsuit? Will Hamlin potentially leave JGR if the struggles continue for 23XI Racing? Time will tell. It’s clear that FedEx’s departure has changed a lot for the veteran racer, and time will tell if it’ll impact his Cup Series future.