DOVER, Del. -- Rick Hendrick said his team will have sponsorship news about Jimmie Johnson’s No. 48 Chevrolet within the next 30 days.
In response to a question from NBCSports.com’s Dustin Long, the Hendrick Motorsports owner said the search for new sponsors had taken longer in part because Johnson had become so synonymous with Lowe’s, which announced in March that it would not be returning after sponsoring the seven-time champion since his 2002 rookie season.
“Sponsorships in general have been tough for everyone, and for Jimmie, we haven’t had any sponsor other than Lowe’s,” Hendrick said. “We’ve had some opportunities, but there was a conflict with some of the other sponsors we had. But we’re pretty excited. We’re going to have an announcement probably in the next 30 days or so, and I feel real good about it.
“But it’s really hard when you have someone that has been so successful, but they have been tied to one brand for a long time. We’re excited about the next chapter there.”
After reports that the home improvement company might be reconsidering its decision and sponsoring some of Johnson’s race in 2019, Lowe’s released a statement last month to reaffirm its departure from NASCAR.