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SPORTS Saturday 21 July 2018

Dash for cash: Cup

champ Truex in the

market for ‘19 sponsor

By DAN GELSTON lars needed to help fund
AP Sports Writer the 78 and the car isn’t the
LOUDON, N.H. (AP) — Mar- only one on the market.
tin Truex Jr. has a sudden Lowe’s decided to cease
thirst for sponsorship cash. its relationship with Hen-
Truex and his Furniture Row drick Motorsports and Jim-
Racing team had about mie Johnson at the end of
three weeks’ notice that the season after winning
5-hour Energy was set to seven NASCAR titles.
leave the defending NAS- It’s emblematic of the
CAR champion as a prima- overall sponsor woes when
ry sponsor at the end of the the last two series champi-
season. ons, like other big names,
After a 10-year relationship, can’t even keep a long-
the NASCAR buzz wore off term backer
for the energy brand, the “A lot of things go into
latest big-bucks corporate those decisions,” Truex said. he crew for NASCAR Cup Series driver Martin Truex Jr. work on the race car before auto racing
practice, Friday, July 20, 2018, at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H.
defector from the sport. “I don’t know a ton about Associated Press
5-hour’s departure leaves their business and how it’s 5-hour had been a NAS- get Truex into the playoffs. said Truex’s deal would get
Furniture Row scrambling doing or anything like that. CAR primary sponsor for But 5-hour stayed on when done.
for coveted sponsorship Obviously, you’d think that nearly a decade, including times were tough — and “It’s not real tough with
dollars for the No. 78 Toyo- with the success we’ve the last seven at the Cup cut bait when it was rid- Martin. He wants to race
ta and one of the top driv- had and kind of how the Series level. The company ing high as a victory lane with us, we want to race
ers in the Cup Series. last two years for us have joined Furniture Row Rac- regular. “Some things don’t with him,” he said.
“I wish it didn’t take quite went that, it’s certain we ing in 2017 as majority pri- make sense unless you’re Truex lost a sponsor this
as long as it did,” Truex said delivered on our end of the mary sponsor on the No. 77 inside the inner working week, but he at least won
Friday at New Hampshire deal.” Toyota and Rookie of the and we’re not there,” Ga- an ESPY for best driver. He
Motor Speedway. “It kind Rise’ Meguiar, president of Year winner Erik Jones, as rone said. “I’m sure they’ve skipped the award show
of puts us in a tough spot sales for Living Essentials, well as a season-long asso- got a plan.” for a fishing trip and said he
now. But I’m not really, re- parent company of 5-hour ciate and two primaries on FRR and Truex said the didn’t think he was invited,
ally worried. I think some- Energy, said this week the the No. 78 with Truex. It be- sponsorship search would anyway. ESPN said Friday
thing good can come out choice to leave the sport came a primary for Truex not derail their plans to- an invitation was emailed
of this.” was a “business decision.” this season when Jones, ward working on a con- and faxed on June 19 to
Furniture Row should be The company declined fur- who won two weeks ago tract extension. Truex won FRR and two Truex repre-
able to attract a top spon- ther comment Friday. at Daytona, went to Joe only two career races in sentatives.
sor: Truex has 16 wins since 5-hour was the prima- Gibbs Racing. eight full seasons before “You want to get to Truex
2016 and FRR has sponsor- ry sponsor for 14 races 5-hour stuck with NASCAR he joined Denver-based you better have his num-
ship funding from Bass Pro this season, Bass Pro was in the aftermath of the FRR in 2014 and his career ber,” friend and former
Shops and Auto-Owners scheduled for 16 and Auto- worst cheating scandal in soon skyrocketed toward a driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Insurance, and is locked in Owners for six. Team owner the sport’s history. NAPA championship run. tweeted.
with Toyota, the class of the Barney Visser had used his Auto Parts cut ties in 2013 Garone, who said FRR will FRR will surely give it to any
manufacturers. Furniture Row company when Michael Waltrip Rac- “absolutely” eventually re- sponsor that wants to make
“I just can’t imagine there as a sponsor in the past ing manipulated a race to turn to a two-car operation, a deal.q
isn’t some partner out there — Truex wears an FRR fire-
that wouldn’t want to be suit next to Johnson in his
partnered with this whole Lowe’s suit on the New
group,” FRR President Joe Hampshire race program Terrell Owens released from
Garone said. “We’ve got- cover — but it would be a
ten a lot of interest just in last-gasp move to put FRR Eskimos’ negotiation list
the days since we’ve an- back on the hood.
nounced it.” Garone said the primary
But Truex’s success wasn’t goal was to get the Toyota EDMONTON, Alberta (AP) gotiation list June 19, shortly ested. We might see an-
enough for 5-hour to keep fully funded with outside — Terrell Owens was re- after he posted a video of other team put him on their
pumping the millions of dol- partners. leased from the Edmonton himself running a 4.43-sec- negotiation list. Hopefully
Eskimos’ negotiation list Fri- ond 40-yard dash. there’s another team with
day, leaving the 44-year- Jason Staroszik, the Edmon- an interest, I feel there is, so
old former NFL receiver ton-based agent handling we’ll see what happens.”
free to sign with any other Owens’ CFL negotiations, Owens will be inducted
Canadian Football League said the Eskimos’ decision into the Pro Football Hall of
team. won’t dampen the receiv- Fame next month in Can-
Earlier, Owens activated a er’s enthusiasm about re- ton, Ohio, but declined an
10-day window to receive suming his football career invitation to the enshrine-
a contract offer from the in Canada. ment ceremony. Instead,
Eskimos by Tuesday. Ed- “It’s definitely not over,” Owens will deliver his Hall
monton placed Owens, Staroszik said. “Terrell could of Fame speech at the Uni-
who last played in the NFL still sign as a free agent versity of Tennessee-Chat-
in 2010, on its 45-man ne- with any team that’s inter- tanooga, his alma mater.q