Cannabis and CBD brands are steadily finding their groove in motorsports culture, and race fans are starting to notice. What began as a few cautious partnerships around hemp and CBD is evolving into a broader strategy that taps into one of the most brand-loyal fan bases in sports.

In NASCAR, the shift became impossible to ignore when Pocono Raceway hosted the Pocono Organics CBD 325 in 2021, the first NASCAR Cup Series race with a CBD title sponsor. Under current guidelines, NASCAR allows CBD brands so long as products contain less than 0.3% THC, a threshold aligned with federal hemp rules. That opened the door for wellness-focused companies to reach fans through race naming rights, signage, and digital promotion.

Perhaps the most high-profile example is 3CHI, a hemp-derived cannabinoid company that signed a multi-year deal with Richard Childress Racing (RCR) as the primary sponsor of the No. 8 Chevrolet in 2022. It was widely reported as NASCAR’s first major team partnership with a hemp-based consumer brand, a milestone for both the team and the category. The relationship continued when Kyle Busch took over the car, with 3CHI remaining on the hood in 2023 and 2024, though the brand later scaled back its schedule in response to political scrutiny around hemp-derived cannabinoids and even had one bold cannabis-leaf themed paint scheme rejected under NASCAR’s marketing rules.

Beyond stock cars, CBD brands are leaning into two- and four-wheel racing where regulators and broadcast partners have been more flexible. cbdMD, for example, secured a multi-year deal as the exclusive CBD partner of Monster Energy Supercross and the Monster Energy Cup, putting its wellness message in front of stadium crowds and TV audiences while sponsoring individual riders. The brand also earned NSF Certified for Sport® status, which helped unlock a sponsorship with seven-time NASCAR champion and IndyCar driver Jimmie Johnson once INDYCAR formally approved CBD partners in 2022.

On the grassroots and international side, fully licensed cannabis companies are edging even closer to the plant in their branding. Illinois operator nuEra Cannabis sponsors Mike Chasteen Jr. Racing, using dirt-track and regional events to connect with local fans and build recognition around its dispensaries. In Europe, cannabis nutrient brand Emerald Harvest backs EuroNASCAR driver Mike Wise, illustrating how motorsports outside the U.S. can sometimes move faster on this category than domestic big-league series.

For race fans, the presence of cannabis and CBD logos in the paddock reflects broader cultural acceptance of regulated cannabis, especially in states and countries where it is legal. For brands, motorsports offers something rare: a passionate audience known for rewarding companies that support their favorite teams and drivers. At the same time, companies must navigate a complex maze of league policies, broadcast standards, and evolving laws—often emphasizing hemp, CBD, wellness language, and clean testing over overt “weed” imagery.

As regulations continue to modernize and more states adopt legal frameworks, cannabis and CBD brands are likely to deepen their involvement across NASCAR, IndyCar, Supercross, rallycross, and regional series. For now, each paint scheme, patch, and race title is not just marketing—it’s a real-time test of how far the motorsports world is willing to go with a new kind of performance partner.

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