Stewart-Haas Racing’s Driver Addresses Exit Rumors After Season Best Performance at Darlington

Stewart-Haas Racing has been buzzing with rumors lately—they might sell some charters, switch to a different manufacturer, or even let go of one of their drivers. But how true are these whispers? Well, amid all the chatter, one of SHR’s own drivers just came forward to clear the air.

Chase Briscoe, who started P13 at the Goodyear 400 race in Darlington, worked his way up to a solid P5 finish. Josh Berry also earned his best result of the 2024 season with a third place finish. In the post-race interview, Briscoe made some honest revelations about his team’s performance and future. 

Are good days back at Stewart-Haas Racing after impressive Darlington results?

Amid sponsor exits and performance dips, there’s been buzz about whether the team might cut back its four-car Cup Series lineup as soon as next year. Just last year, the team saw a significant drop in sponsorship dollars with big names like Anheuser-Busch and Smithfield Foods bowing out, not to mention the smaller, yet impactful, Hunt Brothers Pizza also departing. Plus, the team’s star, Kevin Harvick, hung up his racing gloves last year, too. As such there is an air of uncertainty over SHR, but at Darlington both Josh Berry and Chase Briscoe’s performances provided hope.

While new faces like Josh Berry and Noah Gragson are giving it their all, the possibility of selling a charter could mean saying goodbye to a driver too. After a strong P5 finish, Chase Briscoe spoke about the team’s shaky ground, mentioning that snagging a double top-five finish really gives the team a much-needed morale boost.

Stewart-Haas Racing’s #14 driver said, “It’s definitely you know big for the morale standpoint just with all the talk and rumors going around, right? Like it’s nice to kind of silence those and to show that, you know, we can put all that aside and still come and bring you to…cars capable of winning. You know, we were right there. I thought Josh was honestly probably the best car all day long just could never really get the track position to go along with it. So, yeah it was good for us to have a good solid week and yeah hopefully you know we can carry this momentum.”

Briscoe is now just six points inside the playoffs, sitting on the bubble in 16th. Apart from Chase Briscoe, Josh Berry also shone for SHR at Darlington. Despite starting way back at P33, Berry made a fantastic run to finish P3.

Berry is now ahead in the Rookie of the Year standings and he is 21st overall in points but sits 86 points out of the playoff bubble. After the race he also talked about how they are making steady progress. He said, “I feel like we’ve had a lot of good days and we just need time, really, that’s it. We’re learning about each other each and every week.”

In a separate interview with NBC sports Berry mentioned that the team can deliver regular results like the one at Darlington, “We feel like we’re capable of days like this. We just have to keep chipping away at it, keep learning, keep getting better week in and week out. I have a great group around me, and this is a finish they deserve for sure.”

Darlington was just the second time in the last two years that more than one SHR cars finished inside the top-five in the same race. Yet, even as the SHR drivers are hitting their stride, there’s a rumor making the rounds—that SHR might be considering selling its NASCAR operation by 2025.

The Tony Stewart team might be putting its NASCAR operation up for sale by 2025

Trending

Chevy Prodigy Loses NASCAR Seat, Fans Allege Ignorance to Kyle Busch’s Daytona Setback Behind It

“There’s Going to Be a New Player”- Kyle Petty Warns the Entire NASCAR Garage With Bold Prediction About Spire Motorsports Star

Michael Jordan’s Opponent’s Warning Comes True as Roger Penske Shuts Down NASCAR’s Infiltration

Joey Logano Leaks NASCAR’s Threat to Kick Teams Out of Daytona 500 After Chevy’s Defiance to $400,000 Fine

Kurt Busch Finally Breaking Radio Silence After Criminal Charges Forced 3-Month-Long Hiatus Has NASCAR Fans Breathing Easy

Sportsnaut’s Matt Weaver reported that Stewart-Haas Racing’s entire setup for the Cup Series might be hitting the market soon. This suggests that SHR could be considering pulling out of the Cup Series entirely. So far, there’s been no official word or change of ownership, but the buzz is that the team might be planning an exit before 2025 rolls around.

It would be quite the bombshell if Stewart-Haas Racing were to end its run in the Cup Series, potentially mirroring how Chip Ganassi Racing exited when it sold its operations to Trackhouse Racing. This could very well mark the closing chapter for SHR in the Cup Series. This could also be down to their struggles on track and having gone the entire 2023 winless. Before Darlington, the team was visibly struggling with high finishes, let alone Victory Lane. 

23XI Racing, Legacy Motor Club, Trackhouse Racing, and Front Row Motorsports are the four teams looking to possibly expand and have been linked with buying SHR’s charters. The report also comes amidst rumors that SHR’s future with Ford is looking uncertain.

However, on the bright side, SHR seems to be finding its groove again. If they keep up their current performance, it could really bolster their position, and they might even reconsider selling their charter and setup.