In NASCAR, sponsorship news is the lifeblood that keeps the engines revving and the tires turning. So when Joe Gibbs Racing announced a new multi-year deal for Chase Briscoe, you’d think the grandstands would be cheering.

But a glance at the fan forums and social media tells a different story. A lot of folks are scratching their heads, and some are downright worried. The news itself is straightforward: Columbia Bank is jumping on board the No. 19 Toyota Camry for three races in the 2026 season.

You’ll see their blue and white colors flash around the tracks at COTA, Sonoma, and Phoenix. For any other team, a new sponsor signing on is cause for champagne and celebration. But for the fiercely loyal fans of NASCAR, and especially for a driver like Briscoe, it’s complicated.

Why are Briscoe Fans Concerned?

The heart of the matter lies with Briscoe’s primary sponsor, Bass Pro Shops. For many, the iconic leaping bass logo is as much a part of the No. 19’s identity as the driver himself. The fear bubbling up from the fanbase is that this new, three-race deal with a bank signals a crack in that foundation.

Is Bass Pro Shops pulling back? Is the money not what it used to be? Let’s pump the brakes for a second. This isn’t a sign of weakness. It’s a sign of the times. The days of a single sponsor covering a car for the entire 36-race season are fading fast.

Think about it. Only a handful of drivers, like Kyle Larson with HendrickCars.com, have that luxury anymore. The business of NASCAR has changed. It’s a patchwork quilt of partnerships now, and securing funding from multiple sources is just innovative business for a top-tier team like Joe Gibbs Racing.

For the other 33 races, that familiar Bass Pro Shops scheme is expected to be right where it belongs: on Briscoe’s car. Johnny Morris and his crew at Bass Pro Shops are deeply woven into the fabric of this sport.

They’ve stood by legends. This move doesn’t mean they’re leaving; it means Briscoe’s value is going up. After a breakout season in which he made the Championship 4, the price for a piece of the No. 19 just went up.

Chase Briscoe: The People’s Champion in the Making

What often gets lost in the shuffle of sponsorship dollars and corporate handshakes is the man behind the wheel. And Chase Briscoe is one of a kind. He’s not some polished, media-trained pretty boy. He’s a grassroots racer from Mitchell, Indiana, with dirt under his fingernails and fire in his belly.

He’s got that old-school vibe, the kind of guy who looks more at home under the hood of a car than on a red carpet. When you see him, you might not peg him as a superstar athlete. But put him in that firesuit, strap him into that cockpit, and he transforms. Briscoe is a stone-cold killer on the asphalt. We saw his raw talent when he was tearing up the Xfinity Series.

We saw his grit when he was wrestling with underperforming equipment at a struggling Stewart-Haas Racing. Now, at Joe Gibbs Racing, he has the machine to match his talent. He’s a natural successor to the blue-collar heroes of the sport, the guys fans connected with on a gut level.

With Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. hanging up their helmets, there’s a void. Fans are looking for someone honest, someone authentic to cheer for. Briscoe is that guy. He’s the spiritual heir to that throne, a driver who races with every ounce of his being.

Final Thoughts

Winning is what makes a superstar in this sport, and Briscoe is just getting started. He’s already proven he can hang with the best. Pairing that raw talent with a powerhouse like JGR and an iconic brand like Bass Pro Shops is a recipe for something special. So, for the fans worried about a new name on the car for a few races, take a breath. It’s not the end of an era; it’s the beginning of a new one. Get ready to see a lot more No. 19 hats and shirts in the stands.