Tony Stewart’s Mentee Unsure of His SHR Future as He Dissects Failing Kevin Harvick Leadership Narrative

“We’re not at the top of the hill looking down anymore.” – these were the words of encouragement that Tony Stewart kicked off his off-season address with and unfortunately, not much has changed for SHR since then. After completing the first leg of the 2024 season, SHR’s woes continue to pile on as the four youngsters try their best to fill in the shoes of Kevin Harvick and Aric Almirola.

That being said, the most pressure was on Chase Briscoe to step up as a leader, and so far, the results have not been speaking for themselves. Naturally, the driver of the #14 SHR Mustang feels the time to step up is now. Because if not, the future may not lie with SHR anymore.

Can Chase Briscoe cement his leadership over SHR’s young squad despite lackluster results in comparison?

Ever since the 2024 season started, problems just keep coming Stewart-Haas Racing’s way. From a dismal start to the season to rumors of SHR looking to sell a charter, the once front-running team now finds themselves in trouble. Compared to the expectations put onto Chase Briscoe when he replaced Kevin Harvick, the results have been anything but spectacular. Although it’s worth mentioning that Briscoe has been consistently bringing home top 15s and top 10s. However, the #14 driver himself believes the results are not enough for him to cement his leadership role within SHR.

Speaking to Bob Pockrass about the Harvick connection and expectations, Briscoe stated: “I remember when we sat down in the offseason, I think you had asked me, are you the leader now at Stewart Haas, and I kind of gave you the same answer I’ll give you now, the reason Kevin Harvick was the leader is because he ran the best week in and week out, and people listen when you’re the guy running up front every week. You know, that was my goal. Just because I’m there for long doesn’t make me the leader.”

According to Briscoe, the leader will inevitably be decided by the results that the four SHR drivers bring in. But here’s where Briscoe finds himself in a dilemma. Compared to his rookie teammates, Briscoe has a plethora of experience which in turn should help him cement his status as a leader, but the tables have been turned as of late. Just last week at Talladega, Noah Gragson brought home a podium at the GEICO 500, proving that the SHR car is capable of greatness.

For Briscoe, the main focus for the 2024 season remains on trying to get to the front of the pack and remain there for a long time. He shared his ambitions with Pockrass: “If we’re going to be the leaders, we need to lead by example and the only way we’re going to be able to lead by example is by being the best car week in and week out. So far this year, we’ve been able to do that for the most part, so yeah, I feel really good about where we’re at right now, and if we can just clean up all those little things I feel like there’s a long way to go.”

Though Chase Briscoe is certainly feeling the pressure build as his teammates continue to outperform him, the #14 driver believes he can turn the tides around with some help from his crew.

Chase Briscoe and the #14 crew are all prepared for the worst as SHR enters a turbulent era

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Now that rumors of SHR selling a charter are building, it isn’t just Chase Briscoe who stands the risk of losing his seat. If the team ends up selling a charter, it would leave only 3 garages that require crew members. With both Noah Gragson and Ryan Preece bringing home similar, if not better, results every weekend, Briscoe highlighted the importance of not letting the pressure ruin the team’s momentum.

Briscoe stated, “Obviously, there are tons of rumors going around, and I texted all of my team guys and said look, if we can just focus on what we can focus on a week in and week out, I assure you if we’re going to be winning races, no matter shakes out, we’re going to be totally fine, so yeah. If you’re winning races and running up in front every week, no matter what situation gets thrown your way, you’re going to be able to find something right so, that’s what we’re trying to do, so, yeah.”

That said, if there’s anyone experienced enough in SHR to turn around their misfortunes, it is surely the #14 driver. But let us see how that plays out.