Joe Gibbs is not going to repeat the mistakes of his past. As FedEx parted ways with the team at the end of the 2024 season—after a illustrious partnership since 2005—there was one other heartbreak lurking in the shadows. Mavis Tires, who had started sponsoring the #11 since 2023, winning multiple races, has also ended its primary sponsorship. Two big names, gone in an instant, leaving Hamlin and the team stranded. However, unlike 2022’s sponsorship dilemma—with Kyle Busch caught in the crossfire—Gibbs is not leaving any stones unturned this time…

JGR needed to act fast to secure its future and prevent a repeat of the well-publicized departure of Busch. So, the coach made a crucial step by acquiring a competitor worth $13 billion. But before we get to that…

To walk down memory lane: Busch was somewhat forced to leave the organization after big named sponsors M&M and March Inc, exited the tourney. Unable to secure a sponsorship in time, Joe Gibbs had reportedly asked the current Richard Childress Racing racer to drive an unsponsored car in 2023. “Did JGR try hard enough to sell me? My answer to that is no. They offered me a contract to race there and they weren’t going to have sponsorship on the car, but I didn’t feel like that was fair for the 15 years that I was there; I didn’t want Joe putting his own money into the program,” the veteran racer had told The Athletic last year.

In Joe Gibbs’ voice, however, the pain was evident. “We talked to Kyle and just told him we’re really pulling for him and [wife] Sam and the family…I just think we worked hard trying to get everything done there. We couldn’t…When you think about it with us, 15 years, that was awesome. I just really appreciate that so much.”

So, of course, the team owner was ready to battle his woes this time. And they did so by roping in FedEx’s competitor.

According to an IG announcement from JGR on January 24, Saia Inc. is scheduled to become a sponsor of the team in 2025 as part of a multi-year deal with the team. Akin to FedEx, this corporation is also involved in transportation and logistics, particularly with the trucking industry—a strategic replacement for FedEx. The team also released a video that featured emerging star Ty Gibbs and team owner Joe Gibbs. Captioned, “We’re excited to announce that we have partnered with Saia Inc. for a multi-year sponsorship of Ty Gibbs and the No. 54 Toyota Camry XSE in the NASCAR Cup Series,” the video started with a confident message: “A partnership built to deliver.”

Immediately after, the 84-year-old team owner was seen sitting at a table with a piece of paper in front of him, and a pen in his hand. “I’m so excited to be signing this. So, we’re gonna make sure we do everything for Saia. Thank you for making this possible. We appreciate Saia being a partner with Joe Gibbs Racing. Thank you,” he told the female official at the table.

“Thank you so much. I can’t wait to get this thing on the track,” she responded back.

Exactly then, a Saia delivery partner entered the room, and chimed in, “Hey coach! I’ve got a Saia guaranteed delivery for you that I need you to sign.” To this both, Joe Gibbs and the unnamed official asked in an animated way: “What could that be?” Cut to the next scene, and Ty Gibbs was seen standing outside the building donning a t-shirt from the company. “Hey coach! Check out my new ride.”

Joe Gibbs: “How’d you get that here this quick?” 

“I shipped it with Saia guaranteed,” Ty said, prompting his grandfather to excitedly say, “Man you guys are quick!” The video then ended with a 360-degree view of the red and white Saia paint scheme.

Having said that, as per the deal, the transport company is going to sponsor the #54 driver using its recognizable red livery on seven separate occasions, starting in Atlanta (February 23), and then onto the Talladega Superspeedway (April 27), Texas Motor Speedway (May 4), the NASCAR All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway (May 18), Sonoma Raceway (July 13), Indianapolis Motor Speedway (July 27), and Las Vegas Motor Speedway (October 12).. “Really excited to have Saia as a partner on our No. 54 Toyota Camry. They are a great company, and I hope we can put them in victory lane during this season. All of their employees have already been so supportive,“ said the 22-year-old racer.

Saia’s daring entry into NASCAR indicates its intention to take on the industry titan, even if FedEx is still the leader in the LTL sector. However, it is anticipated that this new partnership would change NASCAR’s sponsorship environment, as they can introduce aggressive marketing tactics and a new viewpoint. And speaking on POV, the CEO of Saia said, “Our drivers, our dockworkers love racing, so we think it’s two-fold for us: We’ll be able to help brand the company and we’ll have a cultural touch to it as well.”

Moreover, this deal would be an excellent marketing strategy to demonstrate to the nation that Saia is no longer a regional business. Keeping that strategy in mind, the CEO stated, “Cemented our position as a national LTL freight company across the United States, and we felt that NASCAR would give us the lift that we needed from a branding and marketing perspective to let people know that we’re not just a regional company (anymore).”

Therefore, it appears that making this partnership will give Saia a big stage to promote.

What’s this deal mean for Joe Gibbs Racing?

For JGR, this feels like a partnership designed to succeed. Ty Gibbs, who is starting his third full-time Cup Series season in 2025, will greatly benefit from the sponsorship. Although Gibbs had moments of genius in 2024, he now has a great chance to advance his career with Saia as a sponsor. Not just providing Gibbs with security, the multi-year agreement fortifies JGR’s financial support in the face of a cutthroat sponsorship market.

Longtime fans know that the team has won 425 races since 1992, including the Cup Series and the Xfinity Series. They are among the most successful teams in the field right now. So, working with a big business like Saia is sure to be beneficial for JGR. “We are excited to have Saia join our family at Joe Gibbs Racing. They have an impressive operation, establishing themselves as a leader in the transportation and logistics industry. We know they deliver, and we certainly plan on delivering success with them both on and off the track,” Joe Gibbs had stated.

Now you must be wondering – why did JGR leave FedEx? FedEx had a long history of supporting Joe Gibbs Racing. But starting in 2021, the brand began to disintegrate. It reduced itself to financing just 30 events annually instead of the customary 32–36. They were the main sponsor of the #11 vehicle for just twelve of the season’s events in 2023, which was a significant decline from the brand’s prior position.

Hope you’re keeping an eye on JGR’s recent trip into a new era – An age with Saia but without FedEx. How do you think this will affect/benefit Joe Gibbs Racing? Let us know in the comments down below.