It’s no secret that Stewart-Haas Racing is facing major hurdles this season. Despite Josh Berry and Chase Briscoe bringing home top-five finishes at Darlington, Tony Stewart’s dream team is rumored to be in talks of selling a few of its charters. After the talks suggesting Trackhouse Racing and Kaulig Racing merging were squashed, all eyes turned to SHR as it looked like the only option for Justin Marks.

Although there are signs of a resurgence lately, these rumors of charter sales gained further traction after Chase Briscoe made a startling revelation on SiriusXM’s NASCAR Radio.

Despite showcasing great uncertainty, Briscoe may be the only SHR driver who is safe

Chase Briscoe’s 2024 season hasn’t been the best on paper. As the only SHR driver with a win in the Cup Series, pressure was on Briscoe to carry the team toward victory lane this season. But with Noah Gragson stepping up in recent races, Briscoe has been falling short of his teammates as of late. With that being said, the 29-year-old’s performance on track could have been affected by the uncertainties surrounding SHR’s future.

Going over the current situation with the rumors, Briscoe revealed that he had little insight into what the actual situation was. The #14 Mustang Darkhorse driver shared, “I just think there’s just a lot of uncertainty. Nobody really knows what’s going on. I’m confident that if SHR is still around I feel like I’ve proven myself enough that they’ll keep me on here. Anytime there’s this many rumors going around, you start to get a little nervous, and that’s the big thing is not knowing and not really hearing anything.”

For Briscoe, every Cup Series weekend is like an audition to retain a seat. But as things currently stand, Briscoe revealed he had no idea about his future at SHR. But the biggest red flag that Briscoe’s statement highlighted was a two-lettered word. Popular NASCAR YouTuber, Eric Estepp, pointed this out in a new video. He stated, “Chase Briscoe said ‘if’ SHR is still around, suggesting all four charters could get sold. By this time next year, Stewart-Haas may not exist. That is almost unfathomable but that’s where we are now, that is reality.”

Reflecting on the past few seasons at SHR, Estepp felt that Briscoe was the second-best driver in Tony Stewart’s lineup when Harvick was around. But now that the veteran had handed the reigns over to Josh Berry, Briscoe seemed to be the only driver able to make it to the playoffs this season. As things stand, Briscoe is the only SHR driver in a playoff position. Compared to Noah Gragson, Berry, and Preece, the #14 driver is perhaps the most consistent in the long run.

Considering all of these factors, Estepp feels Briscoe wouldn’t have issues moving to a different team if SHR parted ways with him in 2025. Going over possible prospects, Estepp highlighted Briscoe’s Ford connection as a key indicator of where he ends up. If Front Row Motorsports buys SHR’s charters, could Briscoe be the perfect replacement for Michael McDowell? If not, another option may be a little more risky.

Eric Estepp shared, “What about the Wood Brothers? It’s basically a fourth Penske car, and Harrison Burton, let’s just be honest, is not cutting it. I could see Chase Briscoe going there.” Despite not being a front-running team like HMS or JGR, Wood Brothers Racing has provided fairly competent cars to budding racers in the past. After all, the current reigning Cup champ, Ryan Blaney, has taken Wood Brothers equipment to victory lane previously. Estepp also highlighted how Matt DiBenedetto was able to qualify for the playoffs in 2020. He concluded, “That car is a playoff contender where the right group is working.”

After looking at Chase Briscoe’s situation, it’s safe to say he may be the only SHR driver (other than Gragson) who doesn’t have much to worry about in terms of a future in the Cup Series.

So what about the other Stewart-Haas Racing drivers?

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Putting aside Chase Briscoe and why he’s one of SHR’s most promising drivers, Noah Gragson faces a unique dilemma. Ever since the budding rookie returned to the Cup Series after last year’s social media incident, a new fire has been lit inside the 25-year-old. And with solid results within the top tens and fifteens lately, Gragson is showcasing great consistency. This naturally puts him in a favorable spot, even if SHR were to sell their charters.

Estepp highlighted the traction Gragson’s results seem to be getting him: “Noah Gragson is getting a lot of interest from teams around the Cup Series: for good reason, I believe. That #10 car has not looked this good in years. Colorful personality, Bass Pro Shops connection, and other sponsors have come on board that car this year, Noah Grahson could be a top free agent candidate the way things are shaping up.”

But as for Josh Berry, the case may not be the same. Despite bringing home SHR’s only podium this season, Josh Berry may be on the chopping block owing to his age and long-term results. This leaves one question in mind; what happens to Rodney Childers? Does the iconic crew chief finally hang up the team radio after years of iconic battles? Even if Childers chooses to retire, the #4 team is certainly in a better spot than Ryan Preece.

From being excluded from study groups to finishing outside of the top ten at the same time that Berry and Briscoe finish in the top-5, the 33-year-old’s campaign with SHR has failed to gain the momentum that was expected. With Preece most likely to lose out amidst these rumors, do you think SHR is truly off to sell one, if not more, of its charters?