Tony Stewart’s Woes Pile Up as $7.1-Billion-Worth Sponsor Delays Pending Decision

Tony Stewart and Stewart-Haas Racing‘s struggle continues while some other Cup Series teams have confirmed their deals with drivers for 2024. While veterans of the sport like Denny Hamlin of Joe Gibbs Racing attested to continue with his team for the 2024 schedule, SHR’s #10 team is still in dire straits with rising uncertainty over its driver and sponsor.

The 42-year-old JGR veteran’s decision was highly anticipated, given what went down with the #18 team in the JGR garage last year. Hamlin’s future with JGR is stamped now, however, Gene Haas and his business partner Tony Stewart are still in a precarious position given that their star driver, Kevin Harvick, is set to retire.

Despite finding a worthy replacement in Xfinity sensation Josh Berry for the #4 Mustang, all is not well in the proud Ford team following another of its veteran driver’s and his sponsor’s indecisiveness.

Tony Stewart & SHR’s heartbreak season and #10’s uncertain future

Unlike some other Ford teams, SHR seems to have lost its way in 2023. While smaller teams like RFK Racing and Front Row Motorsports have picked up wins, Stewart‘s drivers are yet to enter the party.

This includes the veteran, Kevin Harvick. Being the only SHR driver to qualify for the playoffs, a win is still missing from the 2014 Cup Series champ’s belt. To make matters worse, this will be Harvick’s last season with the driver confirming his retirement earlier this year.

While Tony Stewart and Gene Haas have that under control, bringing in HMS’ super-sub Josh Berry into the team, there is still a lot to figure out. Especially Aric Almirola and his indecisiveness. Despite announcing retirement from the sport earlier last year, Almirola returned to the #10 Ford owing to his 7.1 billion dollar sponsor, Smithfield’s request.

However, given Almirola’s uncertain future with the team, with the driver sharing his skepticism about the future, Stewart has one more thing to worry about. Moreover his sponsor, Smithfield is yet to make their decision regarding their partnership with the Ford camp. So far, the billion-dollar sponsor hasn’t announced an extension with the team making that another headache for Stewart.

WATCH THIS STORY: Tony Stewart’s old enemy Goodyear angers NASCAR nation with its poor tires at Kansas

While there are rumors and speculations about the team promoting its Xfinity Series driver Cole Custer, offering him a return to the Cup Series, the absence of a major sponsor is still a big concern.

Despite the unfortunate season, Harvick achieves a milestone

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The Cup Series’s season so far has been a tough endeavor for Kevin Harvick and SHR Fords. Once a championship team with countless victories to its name, Stewart’s team seems to be a mere skeleton of its former self. While “Happy” Harvick has pointed himself into the post-regular season playoffs, it looks like his journey will come to a stop if he is unable to secure a win at Bristol.

The story is drastically different for RFK Racing. Compared to Stewart’s 4 car team which could only manage one of its cars into the playoffs, the Brad Keselowski co-owned team got both of its cars into the playoff 16. All that aside, the #4 driver achieved a career milestone last week.

The 47-year-old driver became the only driver to compete in every NASCAR Cup Series race in Kansas, a total of 36 races.

READ MORE: “We Will Never Forget”: Tony Stewart’s Star Employee Joins Brad Keselowski as They Honor the Heroes of 9/11