Even though Danica Patrick has a new company’s logo on her No. 10 Ford Fusion, it doesn’t mean we’ve heard the last of her old sponsor.
Nature’s Bakery released a statement Thursday in response to Stewart-Haas Racing’s “media campaign and recent false legal complaint.”
The family-owned health food brand was set to sponsor Patrick for a minimum of 20 races during the 2017 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup season, which would have been the second year of a three-year deal. It terminated its agreement on Jan. 19, however, forcing Patrick to secure an endorsement from Aspen Dental, and SHR to sue Nature’s Bakery for $31 million.
“We were thrown off by SHR’s lawsuit,” Nature’s Bakery CEO Kelly Allin said in a press release. “SHR and its owners are no stranger to aggressive litigation. Ours is a family business that repeatedly sought to resolve our issues privately. In fact, we were scheduled to meet in (Charlotte, N.C.) just days before they sued us.”
In its lawsuit, SHR alleged that Nature’s Bakery failed to make scheduled payments, had mold issues and suffered delivery setbacks during 2016. Allin vehemently denied those claims, insisting SHR is strong-arming his company.
“Contrary to its image, SHR is run by big-business types that took advantage of Nature’s Bakery. They now are threatening scorched earth litigation against a multi-generational family company,” Allin said. “We’re obviously not going to let them bully us. We may be a small brand, but we do not think what they are doing is right. We look forward to defending ourselves in court.”
SHR hasn’t yet commented on Nature’s Bakery’s statement.
Thumbnail photo via Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports
