For the first time since 2009, Danica Patrick has to worry about securing sponsorship for the next racing season.
Longtime sponsor GoDaddy announced Wednesday it would not return in 2016 as the primary sponsor on Patrick’s No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet, but would like to continue its personal-service agreement with her.
Facing questions about her future with SHR and in NASCAR, Patrick on Friday called the sponsor’s departure “bittersweet,” but expressed confidence in the team’s ability to attract another primary sponsor.
“I really am happy at Stewart-Haas,” Patrick said at Talladega Superspeedway. “They’re working hard already to find someone for the new primary position. My (business) team is working to find someone for the new primary position. I think at this point in time we’re moving forward with all those intentions.”
Despite the active search for another primary sponsor and her hope to remain at Stewart-Haas Racing beyond 2015, Patrick said anything is possible during “Silly Season” — including her talking with other teams.
“I guess it is — on some level — open season in a lot of areas,” Patrick said when asked if she would shop around for a new team. “I don’t think you can never say never, of course, but I am happy where I’m at right now.”
In an exclusive interview with FOXSports.com at Richmond International Raceway last week, team co-owner Tony Stewart indicated the 2016 sponsor lineup for SHR is on the minds of team management, but the organization is primarily focused on performing each week.
That is the exact mindset of Patrick’s crew chief Daniel Knost.
Knost said losing the backing of GoDaddy does not necessarily change his approach as a crew chief leading the No. 10 team. Instead, Knost has faith in the SHR business and marketing team that has a successful track record of attracting and securing top sponsors.
“We can’t let it become a part of our conversation as a team,” Knost, speaking about the loss of GoDaddy, told FOXSports.com Friday at Talladega.
SHR vice president of competition Greg Zipadelli echoed Knost’s thoughts, saying the team members cannot worry about securing sponsorship, and he does not expect it to play a role in the day-to-day routine at SHR.
“The only thing we can do is race as hard as we possibly can and give her the best opportunities we can to attract another partner,” Zipadelli told FOXSports.com.
“It is probably more likely for her to dwell on it or be upset about it, but she doesn’t appear to be in that position,” he said. “She believes in herself. She believes in this company. We’ll just work as hard as we can to find someone to replace them.”
Patrick is off to the best start of her NASCAR career, which could help her pursuit of sponsors for the 2016 season.
“This couldn’t be a better situation for as bad as it is,” Zipadelli said, noting Patrick’s recent success. “We’ve known for a while (GoDaddy was leaving), so it’s kind of been a collaborative thing. We’ve been working with a lot of people, and we’re obviously optimistic we’ll find someone to take their place.”
A global web hosting company, GoDaddy has expressed interest in business overseas after reaching its goal of brand awareness in the United States. As a result, the management of the company will shift its focus — and sponsorship dollars — elsewhere.
Zipadelli believes the departure of GoDaddy is a blow for NASCAR, but both the sport and the team will weather the storm.
“Honestly, for a company of that size to be with such a popular driver in the sport, and to be completely leaving the sport, it’s just hard; it’s a shame,” he said. “You don’t want ever want that to happen.”
GoDaddy is just the latest company to exit NASCAR after years of sponsorship.
In the past few years, sponsors such as UPS, The Home Depot, Red Bull, and even series sponsor Sprint have scaled back or made plans to exit the sport.
Patrick’s teammate, Kevin Harvick, who is a former NASCAR team owner and currently runs a sports management company responsible for finding sponsors for athletes, knows what Patrick is going through.
He said Friday that facing the departure of a primary sponsor and the daunting task of finding a replacement can be “intimidating,” but Harvick believes the advance notice GoDaddy gave SHR will benefit the team in its search.
Patrick agrees.
“It was good that GoDaddy gave us, as a team, time to find someone else for that role, whether that’s someone new or one of my great partners that already exists that wants to step up,” she said. “It’s as tolerable a situation as you can imagine.”
Despite the departure of GoDaddy, Zipadelli believes the team’s other sponsors are pleased with their return of the NASCAR product and will remain signed on with the team.
“I feel like the rest of our sponsors are very engaged, like what the sport has to offer and like our lineup of drivers,” Zipadelli said. “The GoDaddy thing, their business model is taking them somewhere else, something this sport can’t offer them. Budweiser, Outback, those are the heart of our fans. Hopefully, they’ll be in the sport for a long time.”
