Tony Stewart’s SHR “Veteran” Eyes Coveted Kevin Harvick Spot in Surprising Revelation

As Stewart-Haas Racing enters a new era, it has posed a lot of questions for its fans. Having lost some of the most experienced drivers in the top flight, Tony Stewart and Co. have resorted to a younger core, with Chase Briscoe at the center of it. One of the most significant questions to have emerged from the massive driver shuffle is: who can replace the legendary Kevin Harvick as SHR’s cornerstone? Revealing his intentions to grow towards it, Briscoe has his eyes set on being the team’s new leader.

While Chase Briscoe didn’t inherit the No. 4 spot and Rodney Childers‘ expertise from Harvick, he has replaced ‘The Closer’ as the team’s most experienced driver. Harvick was often the team’s only ray of hope. In 2023, the 2014 Cup champion was the only SHR driver to qualify for the playoffs and come close to winning a race. In the current setup, Briscoe is the only SHR driver to have experienced victory in the Cup Series.

Chase Briscoe wants to return to winning

The 2022 Cup Series season was relatively rewarding for Stewart-Haas Racing. Apart from Harvick’s early exit from the playoffs, he earned two wins, which is the most any SHRR driver has been able to find in the past few seasons. However, the team’s standout performer was undoubtedly Chase Briscoe. Having earned his playoff ticket with a win at Phoenix and becoming the Cup Series’ 200th race winner, it was his most successful year in the top flight.

“I think just trying to get back to where truthfully were in 2022,” claimed the 29-year-old. “Winning races, battle for the championship; last year was obviously a struggle year. So, trying to just do the complete opposite of that truthfully and just be more competitive week in and week out.”

Revealing his expectations from the current season in a conversation with team owner Tony Stewart, Chase Briscoe stated, “Being in my fourth year, I feel like I’m finally here now, like your feet are kind of planted in the series. You know, being the veteran guy here, I think there’s some confidence that comes along with that.“

“Kevin, even on bad days, he’s still in the mix. So, just trying to be what Kevin was to this place, and you know, I think the leader you can say because you’re the veteran guy,” added Chase Briscoe.

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Briscoe’s performances in 2022 eclipsed those of Kevin Harvick’s. The No. 14 Ford driver went on to race in the Round of 8 after two solid rounds in the playoffs. Having shown the talent to go further in only his second year with the team, he is the perfect man to lead SHR into 2024.

Continuing the conversation with the 3-time Cup champion, Chase Briscoe mapped his plan for 2024, wanting to stay closer to the front row in races. Briscoe also emphasized the importance of solidifying his place on the team through his performances.​

Briscoe calls for an improvement in results

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In 2023, P4 was the highest finish that Chase Briscoe had. Despite having led 184 laps throughout the year, he couldn’t convert any of those into a win and recorded an average finish of 20.33. However, Stewart-Haas Racing experienced a similar season as a collective. None of their drivers failed to gather a win, and Kevin Harvick was able to hold on to his playoff spot thanks to his consistent finishes.

Having displayed strength at the Coliseum and Daytona in recent weeks, Chase Briscoe has been building confidence. Reinforcing that motion, he added, “Just feeling comfortable where I’m at, so I think for me, last year we were competitive and battling upfront in 8–10 races, but we need to do that 30-something times. But I think naturally Kevin was a leader because he ran upfront week in and week out.”

“For me, the biggest goal this year is to be the leader of this place based on your performance,” added Briscoe.

Looking at Stewart-Haas Racing’s current dynamics, Chase Briscoe’s adapting to a position of leadership seems like the most feasible solution. While Josh Berry and Ryan Preece are older than him and have gathered more racing experience as a result of their age, when it comes to Cup Series racing, Briscoe is the man to go with. After a rugged off-season at the Chili Bowl, the No. 14 Mustang driver is ready to lead a turnaround in SHR’s fortunes.

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