UniFirst To Back Kahne At Hendrick Motorsports

UniFirst and Hendrick Motorsports have reached an eight-year agreement to make the workwear and textile service company a primary sponsor of the No. 5 Chevrolet SS driven by Kasey Kahne through the 2023 season.

As the new Official Workwear Provider of Hendrick Motorsports, UniFirst will serve as primary sponsor in two races both 2016 and 2017, with the relationship increasing to three primary races each year from 2018-2023. In addition, UniFirst will be a full-season associate sponsor of the No. 5 team.

UniFirst will debut with back-to-back races; Oct. 23 at Talladega Superspeedway and Oct. 30 at Martinsville Speedway. As part of the new relationship, UniFirst will supply work clothing and uniforms to Hendrick Motorsports and sister company Hendrick Automotive Group, which is the largest privately held retail automotive organization in the United States.

“UniFirst is excited to be a primary sponsor of Kasey and Hendrick Motorsports,” said Adam Soreff, director of marketing and communications for UniFirst. “This partnership is a great opportunity for our company because Hendrick Motorsports is one of the premier -- and most highly respected -- teams in professional auto racing. UniFirst’s broad customer base, which includes 300,000 business locations across North America, employs thousands of enthusiastic NASCAR fans, so this relationship is a natural fit. We’re extremely proud to have the UniFirst brand represented in such a dynamic atmosphere.”

“When a sponsor feels strongly enough to commit for eight years, it sends a clear message,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. “There’s tremendous excitement about the opportunities our team and our sport present for UniFirst. They have a reputation for world-class service, the highest quality products and services, and having incredible people. We share a similar mindset and culture, and we’re looking forward to working together across our entire organization.”

Since joining Hendrick Motorsports in 2012, Kahne, 36, has earned three Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup berths and five race wins with the No. 5 team. The Enumclaw, Washington, native has 17 career victories, 27 pole positions and 166 top-10 finishes in NASCAR’s top division.

"UniFirst will be a great addition to our partners at Hendrick Motorsports,” said Kahne, a 17-time Sprint Cup Series race winner and three-time Chase qualifier. “They’re a reliable company that we’ve worked with at Kasey Kahne Racing for a long time, so I was happy to hear they are coming on board. I’m looking forward to having them as part of the No. 5 team and working with them in the years to come.”