Kyle Busch losing NASCAR sponsor M&M's after 2022
Mars has backed Busch since 2008
Kyle Busch's sweet sponsorship deal with M&M's is coming to an end.
Busch has had a relationship with M&Ms and Mars since 2008. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
Mars Inc., the maker of Busch's most visible sponsor, M&M's, is leaving NASCAR at the end of the 2022 season, bringing its relationship with the Joe Gibbs Racing driver to a close after 15 seasons.
"It’s hard to put into words the appreciation I have for the Mars family, their associates and their brands that have supported me since 2008," Busch said in a social media post.
Kurt Busch's yellow M&M's fire suit has been a common sight on the NASCAR circuit since 2008. (Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
"On the track we’ve won 55 races and 2 championships together. But off the track we’ve built friendships that will live way beyond 2022. The Mars family has always accepted me for who I am and I’ll always be thankful for that. Here’s to many more trips to Victory Lane in 2022!"
Busch won the 2015 and 2019 NASCAR Cup Series championships in M&M's-liveried cars and competed in one at this year's finale at Phoenix despite being sanctioned the week before for a violation of NASCAR's code of conduct.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MNBP | MARS NATL BK | 13.99 | +0.79 | +5.98% |
Sports Business Journal reported that Mars had informed Joe Gibbs Racing of its decision over the summer to give the team time to find a replacement.
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Kyle Busch of Joe Gibbs Racing in the Toyota Camry Skittles Gummies car (18) during the NASCAR Cup Series Quaker State 400 presented by Walmart on July 11, 2021, at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Georgia. (Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire via Getty I (Getty Images)
According to Forbes, the most recent contract signed in 2019 was worth $20 million annually. M&M's has been the primary product featured on Busch's cars, but Mars has used the relationship to feature other products, including Skittles and Pedigree dog food.