When Tony Stewart called it quits on the Cup Series, it wasn’t just the SHR drivers who were affected. After all, Ford could now lose four charters in the Cup Series. For a manufacturer that had once denied Smoke from pursuing Kyle Larson, the tables have now turned completely. Unlike playing all the right cards in yesteryear, Ford has now lost another one of its Aces to the competition.

As Chase Briscoe departs the Blue Oval to team up with Coach Gibbs and Toyota, an unfortunate trend is revealing itself, prompting Ford fans to turn a blind eye to what comes next. But what went so wrong? And why has another star called it quits on the once-dominant manufacturer?

Does Chase Briscoe’s exit already mark the beginning of a dry spell for Ford’s championship hopes?

Over the last few days of June, Chase Briscoe has been stormed by the media over his rather shocking move to Joe Gibbs Racing. On the brink of an uncertain future just a few months ago, the #14 Stewart-Haas Racing driver will join the likes of Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin for the 2025 season under the coach’s guidance. While there couldn’t have been a better outcome for Briscoe, competing with the best on the track, this pairing wasn’t the most likely one in the eyes of many.

According to a majority of insiders, a move to Wood Brothers Racing made a lot of sense for Briscoe. That being said, a key requirement by Ford meant that Joe Gibbs Racing got the Ace instead. In his latest YouTube video, insider Eric Estepp highlighted the fact that JGR was the only team that did not ask Chase Briscoe about the sponsorships he would bring to the table.

With Bass Pro Shops and Mahindra already in talks to remain on the #19 JGR Camry XSE, Coach Gibbs didn’t put any monetary pressure on Briscoe. While this may have ultimately played a small role in the reasons behind why Briscoe chose JGR, it certainly reflected poorly on Ford and Wood Brothers’ negotiations. But that’s not all.

Now that Briscoe’s departure from Ford is imminent, Eric Estepp painted a grim picture regarding Ford’s position in the Cup Series. Describing the current scenario, Estepp shared, “Ford cannot afford to lose any more talented racers, you know, they’ve lost Kevin Harvick, and Aric Almirola, to retirement last year obviously, and they’re losing Michael McDowell to Spire and Chevrolet.”

Apart from veterans, younger talent also seems to be parting ways with Ford.  Zane Smith departed for Spire Motorsports and Chevrolet after winning the Truck Series championship with Front Row Motorsports. Similarly, Ford could also lose out on Noah Gragson, who has been linked to Richard Childress Racing,

Estepp further substantiated his claims by highlighting Denny Hamlin’s latest prospect, amongst a few others. He stated, “Shoot, Riley Herbst has been linked to Toyota. Now Chase Briscoe, who has worn the Blue Oval logo on his firesuit for what, seven or eight years now, is leaving for Toyota. That’s a lot of talent walking out the door.”

With partnerships like Harrison Burton at Wood Brothers Racing not working out, Ford has failed in a lot of avenues. Not to mention Ryan Preece’s downright dismal stint at SHR. While the manufacturer still has some undeniable talent in Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney, Chris Buescher, and a few others, the scales are slowly tipping against the once-dominant force.

That being said, there is one driver, or rather, driver-crew chief pairing, that could help Ford turn the tides once again.

If not Briscoe, can Kevin Harvick’s replacement lead the Wood Brothers to their former glory?

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After Stewart-Haas Racing’s announcement, all four of Stewart-Haas Racing’s drivers were rushing to secure their future. But there was one driver with a sense of security unlike any other. A few weeks after the announcement, insider Matt Weaver wrote for Sportsnaut, “Josh Berry, Rodney Childers, and the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 4 team, like everyone else in the building, are now free agents but they really want to stay together, wherever they go next.”

Citing that they would come as a package deal, the veteran crew chief wasn’t going to call it quits on the #4 driver. Instead, any team looking to hire Berry would have the advantage of having a championship-winning crew chief hop on board as well. With Rodney Childers and Berry already proving this season that they’re capable of running out front, there perhaps isn’t a better alternative to Chase Briscoe on the free market right now.

This is why Berry would be the ideal replacement at Wood Brothers Racing for Harrison Burton. For a team that operates at WBR’s scale, having Childers on board itself would be worth the risk to Josh Berry. Fortunately, the #4 driver has also proven time and time again that he’s worth the gamble.

But will one crew chief and driver pairing suffice to help Ford in their battle against the giants at Toyota and Chevrolet?