“That Would Suck”- Tony Stewart Possibly Exiting NASCAR Has Dale Jr Making a Desperate Plea

With each passing day the uncertainty around Stewart-Haas Racing is increasing. Who will be their next sponsor? Will they retain their current drivers and whether there will be a SHR team in 2025 at all? These are the questions that surround the NASCAR Cup Series team, that once dominated the circuits. Even though his own JRM are reported to be one of the possible buyers for SHR charters, Dale Earnhardt Jr. doesn’t want to see Tony Stewart go away.

It was reported SHR could put their one or two of their charters on sale, downsizing their racing operation. However, according to a recent report by SBJ and Adam Stern, the team will put all four of the charters on sale. While it might open doors for other Cup Series teams to expand their operations, it certainly would be a disappointing sight to see a serial winner like Stewart moving away from NASCAR. Dale Earnhardt Jr refrained from adding his take to the speculations and rumors. But he was quick to point out how Tony Stewart’s exit from the sport could be a bitter blow for the sport.

“He’s like A.J. Foyt,” Dale Earnhardt Jr. hopes Tony Stewart sticks around with NASCAR in some capacity

It’s true that SHR has been off the boil with their on-track performances in recent years. But that wasn’t the case with the team in the last decade of NASCAR racing. Tony Stewart won his third Cup Series title as co-owner and driver in 2011. Moreover, Kevin Harvick also bagged his first Cup Series title in 2014.

Not to forget, they also have a solid Xfinity Series project going on for themselves. They won the championship last year with Cole Custer. So you see, it’s not just the case of four available charters with SHR’s potential exit from NASCAR, but also a loss of a prominent team and a character like Tony Stewart, who has kept the sport in good light all these years.

Reacting to the reports, Dale Earnhardt Jr shared his disappointment regarding the SHR’s exit from NASCAR via the DJD podcast. “The question is will Stewart Haas sell all four of them? Does Tony Stewart and Haas get out entirely, holy sh*t, you know it would be weird (…) But I hope that Tony Stewart doesn’t leave NASCAR entirely. That would suck. I think he’s an icon, a Motorsports icon, you know, done it all.”

He even hoped that, despite the troubles at his team, Stewart should be connected with NASCAR in some capacity. “I still love the idea of him having the ownership in anything in our sport because of his legacy. He’s like A.J. Foyt. I hope that they don’t entirely move or remove themselves from the sport and we’ll see how that goes,” Dale Jr added.

Earlier as well, Dale Earnhardt Jr. talked about the current scenario at SHR and how their charter sale would take center stage in the silly season. He mentioned, “Outside of that, what happens with those charters, what happens at 34, is that all linked in some way. I don’t really know what else could be on deck in terms of silly season. And when I hear silly season, I think drivers changing rides, right? I guess now we gotta add charters too; charters could be going.”

Stewart’s association with NASCAR Cup Series began in 1999 with Joe Gibbs Racing. He then founded Stewart-Haas Racing 10 years later after joining hands with Gene Haas. Since then SHR has been an ever present institution in Cup Series but that may come to an end soon.

Last year they had their first winless season. This was followed by the retirement of Kevin Harvick and later sponsors Anheuser-Busch and Hunt Brothers Pizza both left. Aric Almirola’s retirement, also came with the departure of Smithfield Foods. Moreover, Ford who have been associated with SHR since 2017 will also drop out after the 2024 season. As such, the future of their drivers and the team as a whole hangs in the balance.

A few days ago SHR’s former driver Kevin Harvick said that Tony Stewart is likely going to sell charters leaving the drivers “racing for jobs.” “There are going to be guys without jobs. I think they know that. They’re auditioning and they’re all definitely thinking about it because Chase Briscoe is publicly talking about it,” he explained.

Speaking on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Chase Briscoe described the situation in the team and admitted, “There’s a lot of uncertainty. Nobody really knows what is going on. I certainly don’t know what’s going on. I am confident that if SHR is still around I’ve proved myself enough for them to keep me on here.”

There are rumors that many teams are interested in buying the SHR charters. Trackhouse Racing, 23XI Racing, Legacy Motor Club and Front Row Motorsports have all been linked with each team harboring different ambitions. Even Dale Jr.’s JRM is also reported as a potential buyer by Sports Business Journal. However, Earnhardt Jr. doesn’t sound too keen due to the cost associated with buying a charter.

Last month on his podcast, he talked about how he passed on a $2 million charter in 2016. He said that the cost of a charter has only gone up with the current valuation standing close to $40 million as of last year.

However, SHR’s exit from NASCAR would not only leave a big void in the Cup garage but also result in a massive depreciation of the price of the charter.

Here’s why NASCAR Cup Series charters would see a price drop

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If the rumors and speculations are to be true, there will be four or more charters up for grabs ahead of the 2025 season. Before this, we had seen a single charter sale when the demand for them was soaring. But with multiple options on the market, it sure allows teams to find a better deal for themselves, knowing there’s more than one prospect.

Spire Motorsports was the most recent team to buy a charter for a reported $40 million. However, that price could reportedly be dropping in the range of $25–$30 million with the recent development.

Another factor that might influence the price is the stalled charter negotiations between Team Alliance and NASCAR. It’s fair to say that there are plenty of takers like 23XI Racing, Trackhouse Racing, and Legacy Motor Club that can add more charters to the team. But, knowing there is no clear roadmap on how an additional charter would be a successful prospect for them.

For the time being, it looks like a risky bet, which neither of the teams are willing to take at the moment. The 2024 silly season is in full force, and this could lead to new changes and new faces ahead of the next season.