Hooter’s Abruptly Leaves Hendrick Motorsports And NASCAR as chase Elliott seems...

One of NASCAR’s oldest and iconic sponsors has unceremoniously left the sport. Over the weekend, as the hum of engines reverberated through the NASCAR garage, whispers began circulating. The sort of whispers that make PR managers break out in a cold sweat. The iconic Hooters restaurant chain, with its wings and, er, “scenery,” hadn’t paid its bills to Hendrick Motorsports where it has had sponsorship for the No. 9 team and driver Chase Elliott since 2017.

Monday the team released a statement dripping in corporate politeness that confirmed the rumor:

“Hooters has been a valued partner of Hendrick Motorsports since 2017, contributing to our shared successes both on and off the track. In recent months, however, Hooters has not been able to meet its business obligations to our organization. Due to these unfortunate and unexpected circumstances, and despite extensive efforts on both sides to identify a workable solution, it became necessary for Hendrick Motorsports to end the relationship. It has been a privilege having Hooters as a part of our team and we wish them the best.”

It seems despite valiant attempts to patch things up, the partnership had to end. They wished Hooters all the best, which in PR-speak is the equivalent of saying, “Good luck with that.”

Rewind to 1983 when Hooters burst onto the scene with a business model that could only be conceived in the brash and carefree 80s. By 1991, they’d set their sights on NASCAR, sponsoring a then-unknown driver named Alan Kulwicki. Fast forward to 2017 and Hooters was back in the game with Chase Elliott, with grand ambitions and marketing strategies that leaned heavily on nostalgia and their connection to NASCAR’s golden days.