Martin Truex Jr. is going to need a new sponsor in 2019, as 5-hour Energy is leaving NASCAR

Some prime real estate on the hood of a NASCAR Cup Series champion will be open next season.

All season long, 5-hour Energy has been prominent adorning the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota of Martin Truex Jr. as he’s defended his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship and added more victories to his career total. Just don’t expect to see it there in 2019.

Furniture Row Racing announced this week that it is seeking sponsorship to replace 5-hour Energy next season, as the company is leaving not just the team but the sport in general. Its exit will end nearly a decade of primary sponsorship of NASCAR race teams in general and seven seasons on Cup Series rides, including with Erik Jones in 2017 when he was in the second Furniture Row car.

For 2018, 5-hour Energy has been with Truex for nearly every race, co-sponsoring the 78 with Bass Pro Shops as the companies switched off places on the hood. However, even with that very visible placement on one of the most successful teams in NASCAR, 5-Hour Energy President of Sales Rise’ Meguiar said in a press release that the right business move was to leave at season’s end.

"Since joining Furniture Row Racing in 2017, the team has delivered on every promise. In addition to being a championship team, winning races and putting 5-hour ENERGY in victory lane multiple times, they have also become part of our family. We cannot thank Barney Visser, Joe Garone, Martin and the entire Furniture Row Racing team enough for the pride they have given us. They are a first-class group on and off the track. Although 5-hour ENERGY has made the business decision to leave NASCAR, we will be fans and friends for life, and we look forward to finishing strong in 2018."

Furniture Row could certainly look to its other sponsors to pick up the slack. Bass Pro Shops might enjoy having the 78 all to itself, though it also sponsors other Cup Series cars at times. As well, Auto-Owners Insurance increased its primary sponsor load this season compared to 2017, and has already been to Victory Lane. Failing that, the team could always revert to self-sponsoring the 78 with the Furniture Row and Denver Mattress brands as it did plenty of times prior to this year, though that might seem like a step back (and certainly would be, financially) after having other brands aboard.

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Of course, if Truex wins another NASCAR Cup Series title, it might not be too difficult finding companies who want to take over some races in 2019. In any case, considering all the fun 5-hour Energy commercials that have aired with Truex and his teammates, it’ll be a bummer for the energy drink to be gone from racing, and any time a brand leaves the sport is unwelcome news in this day and age.