Tony Stewart’s Mentee Had His Hopes Crushed as He Continues to Audition for the Silly Season

Tony Stewart and Gene Haas last week dropped the bomb that their four-car operation would shut down at the season’s end, throwing the careers of drivers Chase Briscoe, Josh Berry, Noah Gragson, and Ryan Preece into uncertainty. Newcomers Noah Gragson and Josh Berry, who just joined the team this year, face the tough challenge of securing new rides. SHR has been known to give drivers, like Gragson—who faced suspension from Legacy Motor Club last August—a second shot.

However, the closure hits veterans like Chase Briscoe and Ryan Preece particularly hard, as they must now navigate an even more unpredictable future.

Chase Briscoe talked about the tough times at SHR and the shock of the team shutting down

Following Kevin Harvick‘s departure, Briscoe was seen as the de facto leader, given his experience in the team. But the announcement about Tony Stewart selling off charters, which eventually directed to the team’s full dissolution after the 2024 season, caught everyone off guard, drivers included.

Speaking to SiriusXM NASCAR, Briscoe shared, “I think we all knew it was coming for a couple of months. We didn’t know what the level of… You know, I guess that’s the jar was going to look like we didn’t know if it was going to be a couple teams or all the teams. So you always kind of had a little bit of a little bit of hope that Yeah, we were still gonna be okay.”

But facing the stark reality of his team shutting down, Chase Briscoe is treating every race like an audition for a spot on a new team in 2025. “I’ve just been trying to obviously talk about the people as possible and just try to put my name in the hat. Obviously audition, you know, week in and week out on the racetrack as well. Yeah, it’s got to… perform. […] That’s what I need to do on Sundays and even on Saturdays and show that I can be that guy that can be in the card,” he explained during an interview with SiriusXM NASCAR.

Meanwhile, rookie driver Josh Berry is hopeful about finding a new team where he can continue working with crew chief Rodney Childers and other members of his current crew.

With SHR’s impending closure after 2024, the team’s drivers are now laser-focused on securing their futures elsewhere, which understandably is making it challenging for them to work as a unit. Meanwhile, there are a few options on the horizon for Chase Briscoe, but nothing is certain yet.

Possible New Teams for the #14 driver

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Inside NASCAR the idea that Briscoe might stick with a Ford team is floating around. Especially with Wood Brothers Racing parting ways with Harrison Burton, their #21 car could be a prime spot for Chase Briscoe.

Another opportunity could arise if Martin Truex Jr decides to hang up his helmet after this season. If the #19 car becomes available, Briscoe could be a top candidate to take over.

Front Row Motorsports is another potential team for Briscoe. They’ve been discussing acquiring a charter from SHR, and if that goes through, they might be looking to bring on a driver from the SHR fold. With Michael McDowell moving to Spire Motorsports next season, this opens up even more possibilities, not just for Briscoe but possibly for Noah Gragson or Josh Berry as well.