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Amid the rumor about Tony Stewart's potential exit from the Cup arena, the current Stewart-Haas Racing drivers seem to be facing uncertainty regarding their future in the sport. They have started talking to other teams about opportunities, lest that happen.
Last year, SHR parted ways with three long-time sponsors; Anheuser-Busch, Smithfield Foods, and Hunt Brothers Pizza. Team owners Tony Stewart and Gene Haas have not addressed the issues yet, which only intensifies the possibility of them selling off their charters to other teams.
Reflecting on the matter, renowned journalist Adam Stern recently wrote on X,
"Due to the uncertainty around @StewartHaasRcng, some of its drivers and their reps have started reaching out to other teams about options for next year in case they lose their seat, according to three people familiar with the matter."
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The organization has not won a Cup race since 2022. Reflecting on his championship-winning team's current situation, as reported by Chattanooga Times Free Press, a few months back, Tony Stewart said,
"We had two miserable years in a row. I'm tired of taking the blame from everybody on why the cars aren't running good. I give these guys the tools to do the job, and we just haven't got it done the last couple years."
According to the Sports Business Journal, the teams that could buy the SHR charters are 23XI Racing, Trackhouse Racing, and Front Row Motorsports. Market trends say their charters could be sold off for $20-30 million each.
Operating from a 200,000-square-foot facility in Kannapolis, North Carolina, the team is reportedly the home to more than 300 employees. Therefore, ceasing operations for such a bigshot organization is indeed a big deal.
Tony Stewart's driver remains unsure about the future
SHR's plans for 2025 are unknown as of now. Even the drivers do not know what is going on within the team. In an interview last Sunday, Stewart-Haas Racing's Chief Operating Officer, Joe Custer, refused to comment on the same. Even the drivers are not allowed to talk to anyone regarding this pressing issue.
The driver of the #14 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Stewart-Haas Racing, Chase Briscoe said last week at Darlington,
"I am not really allowed to... until somebody tells me what I can do — until they tell me if they're picking me back up for next year or if there is a next year, nobody really knows for next year,"
Chase Briscoe is currently the most senior driver on Tony Stewart's team. He sits 14th on the NASCAR Cup Series standings with 322 points to his name.
"I push for answers, but nobody knows anything. It's crazy. I feel like when there are rumors people know stuff, but it seems nobody knows anything," he added.
Stewart-Haas Racing's alliance with Ford Motor Company also expires at the end of this year and there has been no news of renewal of the deal for the 2025 season.
