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Report: RFK Racing to acquire Kroger sponsorship for 2025 season

Brian Jones Profile Picby:Brian Jones•08/15/24•

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Brad Keselowski (1)
Jun 9, 2024; Sonoma, California, USA; NASCAR Cup Series driver Brad Keselowski (6) waves as he gets introduced to fans before the start of the Toyota / Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Raceway. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports

RFK Racing is on track to team up with Kroger for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season. According to the Sports Business Journal, the racing team is set to acquire the Kroger sponsorship after the Cincinnati-based company talked to teams in NASCAR about a move. Kroger has been with JTG Daughtery Racing for over a decade. JTG is going through an ownership shakeup that could include majority owner Tad Geschickter leaving after this season.

The deal would reunite Kroger with RFK driver Chris Buescher, who competed in Kroger colors from 2017 to 2019. It’s not clear how the sponsorship would work since RFK has Buescher and Brad Keselowski and the drivers have multiple sponsors.

In a statement to Sports Business Journal, Kroger Co. said: “We continue to remain focused on the 2024 season and are looking forward to seeing [JTG driver Ricky Stenhouse Jr.] and the Kroger Camaro make the playoffs. There are no additional comments to share at this time.”

Is RFK Racing in line to acquire a third charter?

If the deal is confirmed, could RFK Racing be in play for a third charter? Sports Business Journal said RFK could work out a lease agreement to get a third charger for next year if the new charter agreement continues to include the leasing option.

In an interview with Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports in July, Keselowski talked about what the new charter agreement could look like. “If I go back in time 20 years ago, the dynamic was, as far as funding a team, 90 percent sponsorship-based, 10 percent outside revenues, which might be race purse or outside revenues,” Keselowski told Pockrass. “And if you take a snapshot of where we are today, maybe it’s closer to 75 sponsorship, and 25 percent purse or outside revenue so to speak. It appears the new charter agreement is going to get that somewhere closer to 65-35, which is a shift that can’t be understated.

“But the reality of that is it still doesn’t fully flip the script so to speak. It’s just a step in the right direction.”

RFK Racing opened in 1998 and is owned by Jack Roush, John W. Henry and Keselowski. In its history, RFK has won two Cup Series titles, five Xfinity Series titles and 333 NASCAR races.