“Every Week’s an Audition”: Tony Stewart’s Ace Concedes His Helplessness With Cup Series Future in Question

Tony Stewart and Gene Haas’s brainchild, Stewart-Haas Racing’s future, has become a hot topic in NASCAR. A powerhouse racing organization that was once a powerhouse in NASCAR is on the verge of downsizing its four race car team operations. The team is in the final year of its contract with Ford as its OEM partner, and a bunch of big sponsors have left the team with the departure of Kevin Harvick. Moreover, the on-track struggles have pushed SHR right on the edge, thus forcing them to consider selling off their charters going into 2025.

All these times, with the rumors floating in the air, Tony Stewart and his racing organization have remained tight-lipped. However, Chase Briscoe, the senior driver at SHR, has now opened up about the situation behind the scenes. Stating that even the drivers are kept in the dark about the team’s plans, thus fueling more uncertainty.

Audition every week for all four SHR drivers

There are rumors that SHR might partner with Front Row Motorsports. Michael McDowell has decided to jump ships to Spire, and this opens up the spot for a potential switch of the driver from SHR to move to the new team in case multiple team charters are put on sale.

Sharing the details about the situation at Tony Stewart and Co., Briscoe, in an interview with SiriusXM NASCAR, said, “There’s obviously concern anytime there’s rumors, right? Nobody really knows what’s going on. I certainly don’t know what’s going on. I’m confident that SHR’s still around… You start to get a little nervous, and yeah that’s the big thing—just not knowing and hearing anything.”

He even explained how every week he is trying to prove his worth to the team management with his results on the race track. It’s the only venue that allows him to be in control of his destiny in such tough times. “You just try to go out there and audition every week; we’ll even if you are on a five-year deal and still try to audition every week… So I’m just trying to go out there every week and kinda control what I can control and try to run out front like we did at Darlington and prove my worth to the sport, and that’s all I can do at the end of the day.”

Well, it certainly won’t be an easy task for SHR to pick the drivers they’ll move forward with if, indeed, the charter sale rumors come true. Therefore, to further understand the best possible picks, let us reflect on the results and performances of all four SHR drivers.

The best-performing driver for Stewart-Haas Racing so far in 2024

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The first easy choice that comes to mind is Chase Briscoe, who so far has been the most successful in terms of collecting points. He currently finds himself staying inside the cut-off line to make the playoffs, placing 14th in the driver’s standings. His best finish came last weekend at Darlington, finishing P5, and the driver himself feels that he still remains an integral part of the racing organization. “I feel like I’ve proved myself enough that they would keep me out here.”

Noah Gragson, who was signed ahead of the 2024 season, has also made his case with consistent runs this season. The former JR Motorsports driver has five top-10 finishes in 13 starts, with his best result coming at Talladega, finishing third. During his Xfinity day, he showed real potential, and if he finds himself in a better race compared to his current ride, he just might prove to be a genuine contender for winning every weekend. It is important to note that his No. 10 team has already been docked 35 points at Atlanta after failing a car inspection by officials.

Running his rookie season Josh Berry has been running hot and cold since the start of the season. But only recently has he finally had his breakthrough result, finishing third at Darlington. However, it is difficult to see him grabbing the seat at SHR if they downsize their race operation. Ryan Preece sits at the bottom of the preference list as he hasn’t been able to provide anything substantial, and the results in 2024 speak for themselves.