Some NASCAR partnerships become so familiar that fans can hardly imagine the sport without them. Axalta’s relationship with Hendrick Motorsports began in November 1992, when it sponsored a young Jeff Gordon and his No. 24 Chevrolet. Gordon went on to win four Cup Series championships, making the partnership part of NASCAR history. After his retirement, the familiar branding moved to Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s No. 88 before later returning to the No. 24 with William Byron. Through generations of drivers, the connection endured. Now, a major corporate merger is putting that familiar name in the spotlight for a very different reason.

The familiar Axalta name is preparing to leave the hood of Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 24 Chevrolet, but the sponsorship relationship itself is not ending. AkzoNobel and Axalta Coating Systems announced on October 15 that their combined company will be called Axanzo following the completion of their planned merger. The announcement marks a branding change for one of NASCAR’s longest-running sponsor partnerships, with William Byron set to carry the new company’s identity in 2027.

The name combines elements of both companies. “AX” comes from Axalta, “ZO” represents AkzoNobel, and “AN” bridges the two. The new company will use the tagline “Engineered to outperform,” with a distinctive orange logo intended to establish its identity in the global paints and coatings industry.

The merger, announced in November 2025, is expected to create a major coatings business operating across more than 160 countries. However, Axalta and AkzoNobel will continue operating independently until the deal closes, which is expected in early 2027, subject to regulatory approvals and other conditions.

For NASCAR fans, the most visible change will arrive on the No. 24 Chevrolet. Hendrick Motorsports confirmed that Byron’s upcoming race at Phoenix Raceway will feature the final Axalta-branded paint scheme. The design pays tribute to Jeff Gordon’s iconic 2013 scheme, bringing the partnership’s history with the No. 24 back into focus before the branding changes. Hendrick has said fans should stay tuned for the unveiling of the 2027 paint scheme under the new company name.

Importantly, the rebrand does not mean Hendrick is losing the sponsor. Axalta has said the partnership will continue, with RAPTOR paint schemes returning for select races in early 2027 before plans for the new name and paint scheme are announced after the merger closes. The relationship traces back to November 1992, when DuPont sponsored Gordon, and has since featured four Cup championships and 93 points-paying wins with the No. 24 team.

Still, replacing a name associated with decades of racing history is bound to stir emotions. While the business sees Axanzo as a fresh identity, NASCAR fans have already begun debating the change and what it means for one of the sport’s most recognizable sponsor-car combinations.

NASCAR fans struggle to accept Axanzo

For some NASCAR fans, the Axalta name was already a difficult adjustment after decades of seeing DuPont on Jeff Gordon’s No. 24 Chevrolet. One fan summed up that feeling bluntly: “Holy aura loss, going from DuPont to Axalta was already bad enough.”

The original change came in 2013, when the Carlyle Group acquired DuPont Performance Coatings and renamed the business Axalta Coating Systems. The ownership and branding changed, but the sponsorship continued, keeping the familiar relationship with Hendrick Motorsports alive.

Gordon himself emphasized that the people behind the partnership remained the same, despite the new name. Now, more than a decade later, the planned merger with AkzoNobel is bringing another rebrand, and fans are once again facing the loss of a familiar name.

“ Nah it’ll forever be Axalta😭💀,” another fan wrote, pushing back against the new identity. Others were even more nostalgic, with one simply demanding, “Bring back DuPont.”

Their reactions reflect how sponsor branding can become part of a driver’s legacy. Gordon’s rainbow-colored No. 24 and its DuPont association remain deeply connected in fans’ memories, even though Axalta carried the partnership forward after 2013.

The new name itself has also become a target. “let’s make the word even harder to pronounce and even more unrecognizable” great business decision👍,” one commenter sarcastically wrote.

Axanzo combines elements of both companies’ names, with “AX” representing Axalta, “ZO” referring to AkzoNobel, and “AN” connecting them. The company says the new identity signals a unified future, but fans focused on NASCAR may care more about the familiar branding disappearing from the car than the corporate reasoning behind it.

Finally, came the joke that captured the internet’s response to the unusual name: “I axanzo’d in my mouth.” The pun added another layer of mockery to a debate already fueled by nostalgia and skepticism.

Axanzo is not ending the Hendrick sponsorship, but that distinction may do little to soften the reaction. For fans attached to the No. 24’s history, the name change feels like another piece of NASCAR tradition slipping away, even if the partnership itself continues.