Lowe’s leaving Jimmie Johnson, Hendrick Motorsports at end of 2018 season

It’s going to be very strange seeing the No. 48 Chevrolet without Lowe’s on the hood, but that’s what is going to happen after this season.

They literally don’t make NASCAR sponsorship deals like the one that Lowe’s has with Jimmie Johnson and Hendrick Motorsports. The home improvement company has been on the hood of Johnson’s No. 48 for every one of his many victories and seven NASCAR Cup Series championships, because it’s the only primary sponsor he’s ever really had.

After this season is over, though, it won’t be.

Hendrick Motorsports announced today that Lowe’s is leaving Johnson’s car and the team as a whole after this season. The decision ends an incredibly long and productive relationship for both sides, and it sounds like it was not one made without some careful consideration.

What Lowe’s executive Michael P. McDermott said in a Hendrick press release made it sound like the company, like so many others that have long been involved with NASCAR sponsorship, is simply re-evaluating where it chooses to spend its marketing dollars, and racing isn’t a top priority going forward.

"The No. 48 team is a valuable property and has been an integral part of building the Lowe’s brand, which makes today’s decision difficult as we now look to invest in other strategic initiatives. Although we are evolving our strategy, there’s no question that being a part of seven championships and many history-making moments has been valuable for Lowe’s."

It’s also interesting that the Hendrick release moves quickly to squash the inevitable follow-up question: Could the timing of the Lowe’s departure mean it knows something about Johnson possibly retiring at the end of 2018 too? The driver himself says no.

"I have more to accomplish in this sport. I feel the best I’ve ever felt physically. I’m motivated. I’m focused on winning races and chasing more championships. Someone (a new sponsor) will be a big part of writing that story with us. I’m not going anywhere."

That’s the strongest possible denial, so we have to take him at his word and expect that as bizarre as it will be, he’ll be driving the No. 48 Chevy next season with some other company’s colors on it. Or more precisely, it will probably sport a number of different sponsors in 2019, because even Seven-Time is not immune to the economic forces that force top drivers to assemble a patchwork quilt of sponsors now for every new season.

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It’s going to be one of the most unusual sights seen in NASCAR for some time, perhaps even more off-putting that watching Johnson run around in the mid-teens so far in 2018 instead of contending for race wins. But it’s definitely happening, and both Hendrick and its fans are just going to have to adjust.