A key partner of Hendrick Motorsports has announced its return for the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season and many years after. UniFirst has signed a massive extension that runs through the 2028 season and includes several races as the primary partner of Chase Elliott’s No. 9 Chevrolet.
UniFirst and Hendrick Motorsports announced the news on Wednesday, February 9. The two companies showed off the 2022 scheme that Elliott will run for three of the races in 2022. The No. 9 UniFirst Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 will make its season debut on March 13 at Phoenix Raceway before returning for races on May 15 at Kansas Speedway and August 7 at Michigan International Speedway.
UniFirst and @TeamHendrick unveil the new paint scheme for the No. 9 UniFirst Chevy. The ‘Next Gen’ car will be piloted by @NASCAR‘s four-time Most Popular Driver @chaseelliott for three races during the 2022 season. Learn more at t.co/jM6g6d8XvS.
According to the announcement, the extended partnership will feature three races in both the 2022 and 2023 seasons. UniFirst will serve as the primary for five races each year from 2024 to 2028. Additionally, UniFirst will continue to serve as the Official Workwear Provider of Hendrick Motorsports.
“I’m excited for fans to see UniFirst’s new bright green and white design on our No. 9 Chevrolet when we hit the track in Phoenix next month,” Elliott said in a statement. “We’ve had a lot of fun and success with UniFirst over the last few seasons, and I’m looking forward to getting this Camaro into victory lane in 2022.”
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UniFirst Originally Joined Hendrick Motorsports in 2016
GettyKasey Kahne (rear) was the first to showcase the UniFirst scheme.
The partnership between UniFirst and Hendrick Motorsports first began in October 2016 when the two companies signed an eight-year agreement. The agreement includes workwear for employees of both Hendrick Motorsports and the Hendrick Automotive Group. Though UniFirst also served as a primary partner in the Cup Series.
Elliott, who was in the middle of his Rookie of the Year-winning season, was not the first driver to showcase the UniFirst scheme. That honor belonged to Kasey Kahne. He showcased the new scheme for races at Talladega Superspeedway and Martinsville Speedway before reuniting with UniFirst in 2017. William Byron also spent two seasons (2018-2019) with UniFirst, a run that included a fifth-place finish at Kansas Speedway in 2019.
“Our organization takes tremendous pride in our relationship with UniFirst,” said Rick Hendrick in a statement. “This new extension will take the partnership well into its second decade, which is a testament to the impact it’s had in a variety of areas, from winning races to driving business. We’re delighted to see the sponsorship grow and look forward to sharing many more successes in the future.”
Elliott Has 1 Goal to Achieve With UniFirst
Elliott has achieved the most success with UniFirst. He won the 2020 Cup Series championship with UniFirst among his group of partners. He also took the company to Victory Lane during the 2020 All-Star Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.
While Elliott has achieved success with UniFirst, he still has one goal to achieve. He has to win a points-paying race with the green and white scheme on the No. 9 Chevrolet Camaro.
Elliott has come close to achieving this goal. He has four top-10 finishes with a UniFirst scheme, three in 2021 and one in 2020. This includes a pair of fifth-place finishes at Phoenix Raceway and Kansas Speedway. Now he will return to these two tracks in 2022 while pursuing his first points-paying win with UniFirst.
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Hendrick Motorsports Inks Massive Extension Through 2028