Tony Stewart’s Former Mentee Could Be Worse Off as a $42.92 Billion Sponsor Stays Away From Future Discussions

To foray into the NASCAR sponsorship scene and win a race in just your fifth outing – that was the story of how Mahindra Tractors, sponsoring the #14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, won the 2022 Ruoff Mortgage 500. And the driver behind the wheel – Chase Briscoe – became the 200th different Cup Series winner in only his 40th outing. “Unbelievable,” he said. “We’re not done doing stuff yet,” he said. Fast forward to 2023, and Mahindra Tractors signed a multi-year agreement to continue being Briscoe’s primary partner. But when the time has come to show their loyalty, that support seems to be dwindling.

After the $42.92 billion automotive company extended its partnership with Stewart-Haas Racing, Chase Briscoe said, “Mahindra is a people-first company. It’s a true partnership that extends beyond the racetrack.” With SHR grinding to a halt at the end of 2024, you would think that Mahindra Tractors – who have backed Briscoe since their entry – would show him all the support he needs to secure his future in the Cup Series. However, that may not be the case.

Vacancies are indeed opening up on other race teams. For instance, Michael McDowell announced his exit from Front Row Motorsports. Yet SHR drivers need to improve their racing to seal future seats, as the top-performing SHR driver claimed himself. In a June 11 interview, Joseph Srigley asked Briscoe if any of his sponsors (High Point is the IT sponsor) had committed to him. He confessed they’ve been tight-lipped: “There’s not been anything on the paper side. But I think all of them have been really happy with the relationship we’ve been able to build over the last couple of years.”

However, Chase Briscoe narrowed down on Mahindra’s take, which looks pretty gloomy. The automotive brand wants Briscoe to independently pave a path to success. He said, “When I started this whole process, they were one of the first people I called. They made it pretty clear that they don’t wanna be the main topic of discussion. They want a team to hire me because of me and not because of who I can bring… If a team comes to me and says, ‘Hey, we want Chase for Chase and not Mahindra Tractors,’ it was easier for them to internally sell it as well.”

Sponsorships are a crucial part of NASCAR’s business environment. There’s little doubt that if a driver can help bring in a partner as significant as Mahindra, their value in the driver market increases tremendously. Yes, their racing acumen is just as important a factor in teams’ interest in them. But having financial backing is an added perk. In terms of his driving skills, Chase Briscoe doesn’t have much to worry about, but that doesn’t mean he’s not had his fair share of troubles recently.

After a successful career in Xfinity, Tony Stewart roped in Chase Briscoe in 2021. Following that first win at Phoenix Raceway, he exclaimed, “So blessed to be here driving for this organization, this team, and this car that was my hero’s growing up.” The hero in question was none other than Stewart. Two years later, Briscoe is heading the SHR team in terms of points, holding a 17th rank with 1 top-5 and 3 top-10 finishes. But he’s plagued with troubles, as seen recently in Sonoma, where a transmission issue forced him to retire the #14 Ford.

That said, he isn’t too worried about Mahindra Tractors’ message to him. “I am pretty confident that I have a great enough relationship with the Mahindra Tractors and High Point that whatever I end up landing, I’m sure there’s going to be discussions there.” And if what Tony Stewart said last year after the partnership extension is anything to go by, there are people in Mahindra who are looking out for Chase Briscoe.

Echoing Briscoe’s “people-first company” sentiment, Tony Stewart said, “This is a partnership that runs deep. We’re proud to represent Mahindra Tractors and are grateful for the friendships we’ve made since first coming together two years ago.” Did you know that the 53-year-old is a proud owner of a Mahindra Tractor? In fact, one of his favorite things is to operate it back home.

The 3-time Cup Series champion owns a 5145 4WD Shuttle that he uses to work on his 414-acre ranch in Columbus, Indiana. Stewart revealed, “One of my favorite things to do when I get home to Indiana is to just get outside and work the land. It’s a nice change of pace. Now, we still want to win in red on Sundays, but anytime I’m on a red Mahindra Tractor at home, I feel like I’m winning.” The same can’t be said for his Cup team this year, and evidently, rough patches prevail even for the best-performing driver in Tony Stewart’s crumbling team.

However, before Mahindra Tractors gives any definitive notice, the brand is focusing on its color scheme for Briscoe’s run at Iowa Speedway.

Chase Briscoe is set to honor a 30-year legacy

Ahead of the NASCAR Cup Series’ debut race at Iowa Speedway, some unique colors will be featured on the #14 car. Sporting an Iowan red and white paint scheme, Chase Briscoe’s car will commemorate Mahindra’s 30th anniversary—three decades of selling tractors in the United States. Despite honoring Mahindra, the support remains uncertain!

Though Briscoe has never made a Cup advance on the track, he does have a pretty shining record there- enough to be called the track’s veteran. Therefore, it is expected that Tony Stewart’s star driver might just clinch an impressive finish on the short track.

Briscoe has made five starts in Iowa across the NASCAR Xfinity Series, NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, and ARCA Menards Series. He has never finished outside the top 10 and has an average finish of 5.2. What’s more, Briscoe has two victories: one in ARCA (2016) and another in Xfinity (2019).

Hence, Chase Briscoe has plenty of legroom to prove his mettle to his tractor sponsor well within time.