All good things come to an end. With 69 wins in NASCAR history and two Cup Series Championships in 2011 and 2014, few teams have had as much success as Stewart-Haas Racing. Hence, the decision to close the company at the end of the season was naturally met with shock and sadness. Fans have had to deal with speculation about the dissolution of Stewart-Haas Racing for a year, and now the reality has officially set in.

Since its inception in 2003, Stewart-Haas Racing has nurtured the careers of its drivers, won enough races, and built a loyal fanbase. Many of them are still coming to terms with this decision.

What led to this decision?

Although Stewart-Haas Racing is one of the biggest names in NASCAR, the team has struggled to maintain its success in the Next Gen era. Fans had to watch as other teams like Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports outperformed them on the track. Their lack of success on the track combined with a lack of interest from corporate sponsors off the track led to the inevitable.

It was a major blow to Stewart-Haas Racing when Smithfield decided to leave NASCAR altogether while Anheuser-Busch opted to sponsor Trackhouse Racing instead. The loss of Ford’s support at the end of the season was the final straw after 2023 also saw veterans like Kevin Harvick and Aric Almirola leaving the team, owing to retirement.

In addition, Gene Haas and Tony Stewart’s interest in their team seems to have waned in recent years. Gene Haas has invested heavily in his Formula One team, while Stewart spends his weekends racing in the National Hot Rod Association, where he is both owner and driver. While Haas and Stewart focused on other things, fans saw their team’s dynasty crumble before their eyes. Although the team had talented drivers, engineers, crew chiefs, and others behind the scenes, the lack of support from leadership ultimately cost the team.

Fans continue to support Stewart-Haas Racing

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While fans are visibly upset about Stewart-Haas Racing’s departure from NASCAR, many of them realize that the blame lies with the leadership and not the employees. One X user wrote: “I’m still gonna support @StewartHaasRcng and all the employees, drivers, and crew. @RodneyChilders4 and @joshberry are gonna be rolling this weekend.”

Many fans supported the team during the glory days and expressed their commitment to be there until the end. “I followed Tony here in 2009 and Tony and Kevin were my drivers…I’ll be here until that checkered flag falls, in Phoenix. We still have races to win…let’s get ‘em ! 👊”

Others, however, were more positive about Stewart-Haas Racing’s ownership, despite the decision to potentially lay off 300 employees. “Hate to read this but we all knew it was coming. Tony has a new life and it is time he just enjoys his wife and maybe child (some day). This will give others time to find jobs hopefully.”

What do you think about Stewart-Haas Racing closing its organization at the end of the season? Let us know in the comments!