CONCORD, N.C. -

Ally Financial has jumped into NASCAR, partnering with Hendrick Motorsports and linking up with one of the sport’s most recognizable and successful figures.

Ally will be the primary sponsor of Jimmie Johnson’s No. 48 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 team for the entire 2019 and 2020 seasons.

Johnson has won seven NASCAR Cup Series championships, tied with Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for the all-time high. He won the Cup five straight times (2006-2010), and during that streak, Johnson was named Associated Press Male Athlete of the Year — the first race car driver to do so.

Johnson’s contract with the Hendrick Motorsports team runs through 2020.

“We are beyond thrilled to be in the fast lane with Jimmie Johnson, one of the most successful drivers in the history of NASCAR, and with Hendrick Motorsports, a premier organization in professional sports,” Ally chief executive Jeffrey Brown said in a news release.

“Both share Ally’s passion for delivering results for our customers and for our communities, with a deep commitment to ‘do it right’ for the people who count on us most,” Brown said. “We look forward to working with this extraordinary team to build a strong and successful relationship as Ally enters this exciting sport.”

Ally will first be featured on Johnson’s car for the 2019 DAYTONA Speedweeks and the DAYTONA 500 in February.

“This is a proud day for our entire organization,” Hendrick Motorsports owner Rick Hendrick said in a news release. “Ally has built a tremendous brand by putting the customer at the center of their decisions and doing things right.

“In the same way, Jimmie has always put people first and handled himself like a champion in every sense of the word,” Hendrick said.

“Ally’s full-season commitment makes a powerful statement about their enthusiasm for him, our program and the direction of our sport. It’s an unbelievable fit, and all of us are thrilled to launch what will be a long and successful partnership.”

Added Johnson, “The opportunity to work with a partner like Ally is incredible. Their commitment to leading in both the workplace and the community is something that resonates with me in a big way. They’ve sent a strong message about how much they believe in me and in our team, and I will do my part to make sure it’s the best investment they’ve ever made. I’m ready to chase more history with Ally on board the ‘48.’”

Ally is a platinum sponsor at next month's Used Car Week conferences. Its Ally SmartAuction brand is the presenting sponsor of the National Remarketing Conference, which is part of Used Car Week. 

As far as its NASCAR partnership, Ally becomes the latest company with a footprint in the used-car and remarketing space to get into the sport.

Cox Automotive’s Kelley Blue Book is a sponsor of fellow Hendrick driver Chase Elliott; Cox’s Autotrader brand sponsors Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano on Team Penske.