Home Depot Sells Off Sponsorship For Some Races

In an era where multiple primary sponsors have muddled the bond between driver and car, one of the more consistent images has been the orange No. 20 Home Depot ride of Tony Stewart.

But that relationship will be tweaked somewhat this year, as Joe Gibbs Racing President J.D. Gibbs told the Press Wednesday that the home improvement warehouse has sold off the primary sponsorship for some races to another company.

"At times we'll bring people to them and say, 'Hey, what do you think,' and usually in the past they say, 'Thanks but no thanks,'" Gibbs said. "I think they found a partner here that makes sense for them."

Gibbs wouldn't divulge who the partner is, saying, "I'll let them go into all that detail when the time is right." He did add, though, that the agreement is more than a one-off deal.

Stewart, a member of the Coca-Cola Racing Family, ran a car with the soft drink company's sports beverage, POWERade, as the primary sponsor at Dover in 2006.