It looks like Denny Hamlin’s difficult position just got worse. Hamlin has been racing in the Cup Series for 2 decades, but despite being extremely close many times, he has never claimed the title. This year, before the Bristol race, his entry into the top 12 seemed iffy, but coming 4th in the last race put him in the safe zone. Definitely sounds like a relief for Hamlin there but there’s a buzzing rumor that could put a spanner into the works. It’s huge considering the fact that we are talking about a relationship that goes way back… back to 2005!

Back to 2005… when Hamlin debuted in the Cup Series at Kansas Speedway and ran for a total of seven races that season. Obviously, by now, FedEx has become one of the biggest sponsors for the No. 11 car. It’s quite evident as the entire vehicle is decked out in their signature color combo of purple, orange, and white, with the doors and hood having the brand’s logo on them. In fact, reports even suggest that JGR gets close to $25 million from them annually “just in rights fees.” Just look at how Hamlin had only words of appreciation after he won the 2022 Toyota Owners 400 in Richmond, a year after FedEx handed out its full-season sponsorship,

“I mean, they’ve been with me my entire career, which is so rare. You know, my cars are mostly recognized all week. I mean, it’s such a normalcy in our sport now that nine or ten cars can look totally different. You never have what your car is,” Hamlin said talking about his staple purple-orange-white paint scheme.

However, things have drastically changed since. For instance, the company was on the No. 11 car only 12 times throughout the 2023 season along with cost-cutting efforts, a similar trait we saw this season as well with their presence being limited to 10 races so far. Rumors of FedEx calling it quits with Joe Gibbs have been in rounds since last year since the Memphis-based global delivery and logistics giant didn’t announce an extension. At this point, however, insiders are now informing that JGR is actually hunting for a primary sponsor “in anticipation of FedEx dropping more – and possibly all – of its remaining primary positions,” SBJ reporter Adam Stern reported on Tuesday.

Kenny Wallace shared his thoughts too on the matter too, crediting Stern’s report. In an over 8-minute-long video in his YouTube channel, Kenny definitely didn’t want to miss out on speaking about the floating (unconfirmed) news that was hot off the internet. He was still in his robe while drinking his first cup of coffee on a Wednesday morning when he put a disclaimer before the NASCAR nation even dares to jump to conclusions!

“Let’s talk about this dynamic for a minute… The guy that ran FedEx [founder and executive chairman, Fred Smith] was a really good friend to Joe Gibbs because Joe Gibbs was a Super Bowl-winning coach with the Washington Redskins, and now, they call them the commanders. If Joe Gibbs loses FedEx, of course, everybody would like to go to the worst: ‘Oh, that’s it.’ I can hear people right now. ‘Oh, that’s it. Joe Gibbs is failing!’ [dramatic expression for effect]

“No, they’re not. They knew it was coming because here’s why. FedEx has been cutting back since, well, for a long time. FedEx has been… you know, if you notice, FedEx has not been on Denny Hamlin’s car all the time.

“What I read was FedEx had to reduce their budget something like $5 billion [report suggested $4 billion], some crazy number. But they’re doing good in the stock market [up by 6% this year]. So, I think, FedEx just has business issues. And that is not Joe Gibb’s fault.”

To brush up your memory, Hamlin’s relationship with the sponsor began in 2005 when he was a rookie driver, running seven races. Reports mention FedEx paid around $25 million to JGR “just in rights fees”. However, in 2021, it began cutting back with FedEx’s presence being limited to 10 races so far this season.

JGR and the sponsor has also been a part of several philanthropic gestures together, such as the Safe Kids Worldwide, “a nonprofit working to protect kids on the road, at home and at play”. In 2017, the brand had vowed to donate $111 for each lap Hamlin leads and $11,000 for each race victory. They had further pledged an additional $111,000 to the organization if the veteran won the Cup Series Championship that year.

The veteran also cited another longtime JGR sponsor M&M’s who decided to end their sponsorship for Kyle Busch after the 2022 season—since being a primary sponsor in 2008. JGR president Dave Alpern had revealed in a conversation with Forbes at the time:  Mars “wants to try some new things — and no matter how big a brand is, they have a finite budget, so when you want to try something new, it has to come from somewhere else.” Notably, M&Ms had been a NASCAR sponsor since 1990 with Snickers, backing Bobby Hillin Jr’s No. 8 car. They started sponsoring Kyle Busch in 2008.

However, the veteran also reiterated multiple times that the team is “not going to fail” because of this loss in sponsorship. Denny Hamlin on the other hand, started the season strong and managed to win three races this season. With Denny Hamlin under pressure to keep his spot in the playoffs, could his performance be the reason for losing out on the sponsorship deal?

Is Denny Hamlin the reason why FedEx is leaving?

According to Kenny Wallace, it’s not the fault of anyone from JGR as to why FedEx is leaving. However, until the specifics are let out, it’s only fair to consider every possible reason. Sure, Denny Hamlin has not performed well in the last few races before Bristol, but with him in the safe zone of the top 12, the tides are turning. Hamlin still has a shot at the championship, and for that, he needs to make sure to avoid wrecks on the tracks, which have been the reason for his unsatisfactory finishes.

With Hamlin in the safe zone of the playoffs, it only makes sense to continue the sponsorship that has lasted almost 2 decades. As of now, there is no confirmation that FedEx will break the partnership; however, their reduced involvement with the No. 11 team has been noticed. Well, whatever the reason, the No. 11 team needs to find a full-time sponsor to keep their boat afloat.

So far, Hamlin’s place in the playoffs is comforting for fans, but that can change with a single race. With things looking like they are not going according to Hamlin, do you think that they will be able to retain FedEx as a sponsor for 2025? Share your thoughts in the comments below.