CONCORD, N.C. – Longtime Hendrick Motorsports partner Axalta Coating Systems announced Wednesday morning that it is teaming up with the newest Hendrick Motorsports signee.
Axalta will serve as a primary partner in 15 NASCAR XFINITY Series races in each of the next two seasons for William Byron, who is currently racing full-time in the XFINITY Series for Hendrick Motorsports affiliate JR Motorsports.
Byron will debut the No. 9 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro at Phoenix Raceway on March 18.
“Even as a young fan, I can remember Axalta being involved in our sport,” said Byron, who made his XFINITY debut Saturday at Daytona International Speedway with a ninth-place finish. “Now to be part of their program as a driver means a lot. Charlie Shaver [Axalta Chairman and CEO] believes in our team at JR Motorsports and at Hendrick Motorsports, and that support matters so much to me. Having Axalta with us is going to be a huge part of our program. I can’t wait to get the No. 9 Axalta Chevrolet Camaro to Victory Lane this season.”
Axalta’s 25-year sponsorship of Hendrick Motorsports dates back to 1992 and includes a close business-to-business relationship with Hendrick Automotive Group, the largest privately held dealership organization in the United States. As part of the expanded JR Motorsports partnership, Hendrick Automotive Group will increase its relationships with Axalta-affiliated vendors to support paint and collision work.
“Throughout the course of our relationship with racing, we have looked for ways not only to be a sponsor but also to be a partner of our drivers,” Shaver said. “We are very excited to work with William, a younger driver who has already earned terrific credentials with seven wins as a rookie. William epitomizes the ways in which new drivers can tap into the innovation and technology that are cornerstones of both motor sports and our coatings business. We’re looking forward to this next step in our continued relationship with JR Motorsports.”
With the broadened JRM program, Axalta will have a significant presence across NASCAR’s top two levels. In the NASCAR Cup Series, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will drive the No. 88 Axalta Chevrolet SS for Hendrick Motorsports in 13 races this season.
Last weekend, Axalta unveiled the Axalta Center Injector at Daytona International Speedway with the help of the Hendrick Motorsports drivers, and is nearing completion of its 45,000-square-foot Customer Experience Center located on the Hendrick Motorsports campus in Concord, North Carolina. The Axalta Customer Experience Center will provide the latest customer training resources for refinish technicians.