As NASCAR teams rely on sponsorships for 60-80% of their revenue, departing sponsors can make a race team crumble fast. This year it’s the turn for Tony Stewart’s team, as last year they lost what was likely low eight figures in annual sponsorship revenue. Big brands like Anheuser-Busch and Smithfield Foods bid adieu to the team. Hence this year, rumors of the team selling one or two of its charters are afoot.

Yet Stewart-Haas Racing is slowly inching back to the front row. Noah Gragson is proving his mettle, and Josh Berry achieved his career-best third-place finish in Darlington. However, charter sale rumors are still picking up, especially after Michael McDowell announced a shift from Front Row Motorsports to Spire. In the back of such highly discussed probable changes, Dale Earnhardt Jr added to the Silly Season rumors and linked these two events.

Dale Earnhardt Jr foresees possible SHR-FRM link

Over a week ago, Michael McDowell burst NASCAR headlines with a surprising piece of news. After six years at FRM, he made a sudden move to Spire Motorsports beginning in 2025. But this announcement came with a domino of updates in other NASCAR teams. McDowell is reportedly predicted to replace Spire’s interim driver Zane Smith, who will go to Trackhouse Racing next year. FRM’s empty slot will be up for grabs, and Tony Stewart’s drivers may use this opportunity, as Dale Earnhardt Jr feels.

In a recent podcast episode of ‘Dale Jr Download’,  Junior summed up his suspicions regarding a possible Tony Stewart-Front Row tie-up. “I’m just feeling like…some sort of a Front Row-Stewart-Haas connection happens. And one of the drivers that’s at Stewart-Haas, they end up in that 34 car, that McDowell drives. I feel like one of the current drivers in Stewart-Haas ends up in Michael’s old car. And there’s some sort of new organization between Front Row and Stewart-Haas.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr pronounced one of Stewart’s studs to make a shock move, raking up suspicions. “But did I see there was a rumor that Gragson might be going somewhere?” Evidently, Tony Stewart’s drivers may be already envisioning future roles in other teams. Dale Jr further underlined his concerns: “I guess my question is if Stewart-Haas has four drivers and they paired down on their charters, who goes where?”

The teams that may pick up SHR’s sold charters are more or less confirmed. Dale Earnhardt Jr mentioned two of them: “And one or two of those charters that are currently at Stewart-Haas end up getting sold out to someone else, like Trackhouse and 23XI.”

But why exactly is 23XI and Trackhouse Racing being touted as the most probable candidates?

23XI and Trackhouse need the charters the most

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NASCAR charters have increased 11-fold in value over the past few years. The most recent charter purchase occurred when Spire Motorsports doled out $40 million to buy from the now-defunct Live Fast Motorsports. Hence, as prices are expected to spike further, teams would need to have a solid reason, like accommodating drivers, before deciding to loosen their purse strings for a new charter.

At present, five teams seem likely to buy from Tony Stewart’s charter sale. However, Trackhouse Racing might need it most, as it had four drivers under contract and only two charters. Hence Zane Smith and Shane van Gisbergen would desperately need secure spots. Another team likely to buy is 23XI Racing, as Michael Jordan’s team has been fiddling with a third entry and even has a reserve driver, Corey Heim, who is set to run in a NASCAR Cup Series car at Nashville Superspeedway with the team, on June 30. Heim will reportedly pilot the No. 50 Mobil 1 Toyota. 

Now, if Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan decide to include Corey Heim or any other driver into their team, a charter will be of paramount importance.

Though there has been no official confirmation yet, speculations are rife. Well, it’s safe to say Stewart-Haas Racing’s charter sale rumors spell a diverse array of opportunities for other NASCAR teams.