But, the team is not worried, as they don’t think it will be too hard to find sponsorship for NASCAR’s most popular driver. Hendrick says there is plenty of interest, but they’re looking for a sponsor who will work with the team beyond 2013.

Hendrick said:

The way we’re positioned, the car is covered until the end of the summer. I don’t have a deadline [for a deal]. I’m not looking at a timeline. I’m looking at the right deal.

He indicated that they’re close on two or three deals but nothing has been finalized.

The National Guard is set to sponsor the No. 88 for 20 races in 2013. Diet Mountain Dew sponsored the car for 16 races in 2012, but announced last season that they would be cutting back their sponsorship. 

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In 2013, National Guard will have two additional races.

Earnhardt Jr is not really worried about the loss of sponsorship. Earnhardt said:

We have more demand than we have supply pretty much. We’ve got a majority of the season with the Guard and Diet Mountain Dew is going to back off a little bit and that makes it a bit of a challenge to fill that small of a gap. If it were a bit larger gap, it would be easier to fill.

Still, Earnhardt Jr, NASCAR’s most popular driver, shouldn’t have much trouble securing sponsorship.

The National Guard will appear as primary sponsor for 20 Sprint Cup races next season, and will appear as an associate sponsor for the remaining races.

Team owner Rick Hendrick said:

It’s an honor to be associated with the National Guard and its Citizen Soldiers. Like many of the world’s most innovative marketers and leading brands, the Guard sees the opportunities that our sport presents, and they have built a strong effort around it. As we go into 2013 together, we’ll continue to focus on the performance of the program both on and off the racetrack.

Earnhardt Jr added:

Working with the Guard has been incredible. On a weekly basis, we’re interacting with people considering a life-changing decision (to enlist) or who are already serving our country. Their sacrifices are difficult to comprehend, and we feel a lot of pride representing them and seeing first-hand how passionate they are about NASCAR and our team.

Additional sponsorship for the No. 88 next season will be announced at a later date.

Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.) proposed the amendment last year, and it failed. This year, however, Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.) took it up, and it passed. Kingston called cutting sports sponsorships a “great place to send a signal.”

Bill Young (R-Fla.) did not support the measure because he felt that the military should be visible in the community, but the amended passed on a voice vote.

Should this bill make it through the Senate, the teams that would be affected would be the No. 39 Stewart Haas Racing Chevy driven by Ryan Newman, which is sponsored by the U.S. Army;   the No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford driven by Aric Almirola, which will be sponsored by the U.S. Air Force at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Daytona International Speedway.

It is unclear whether or not the bill would affect the National Guard sponsorship, which appears on the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr. Technically, the National Guard is not an armed force. It is a federally-recognized militia. That, however, may be a distinction without a difference.

The next step for the bill would be to be voted on by the House. If it passes, then it would move on to the Senate, where it would be assignment to a committee and voted on there. If it passes the Senate, then the differences between the House and Senate versions must be worked out before being sent back to the House and Senate for final approval.

Then it would head to the President for signing into law.

USA TODAY also reported the story.