In a shocking twist, the end of Stewart-Haas Racing is not the end of Gene Haas' tenure as a team owner in the NASCAR Cup and Xfinity Series.
Last month, Gene Haas and Tony Stewart released a joint statement announcing plans to dissolve Stewart-Haas Racing at the conclusion of the 2024 season.
READ MORE: The unexpected rise and fall of SHR
Launched in 2009, the organisation won the Cup Series title in 2011 with Tony Stewart and 2014 with Kevin Harvick, as well as 69 Cup races.
In a sudden turn of events, Haas announced on Thursday his intentions to continue as a team owner in NASCAR.
He will launch the Haas Factory Team in 2025, operating a two-car NASCAR Xfinity Series team and retaining a single Cup charter.
Front Row Motorsports has already announced its intentions to purchase one of the other three charters once a new Charter agreement is reached between the teams and the sanctioning body.
“My commitment to motorsports hasn’t changed, just the scope of my involvement,” Haas said in a statement. “Operating a four-car Cup Series team has become too arduous but, at the same time, I still need a platform to promote Haas Automation and grow HaasTooling.com.
“Maintaining my presence in Cup allows Haas Automation to compete at NASCAR’s highest level, which is important to our customers and distributors. The Xfinity Series program provides a full weekend experience for our guests, and it delivers added depth and scale to our overall operation.”
Haas, who also owns a Formula 1 team, has been a NASCAR team owner since 2002.
Joe Custer, who currently serves as the president at SHR, will continue in that role at the Haas Factory Team.
The team will operate out of the existing Stewart-Haas facility in Kannapolis, North Carolina.
There have been no announcements regarding the driver line-up.
Joe Custer's son, Cole, is the defending NASCAR Xfinity Series champion and currently competes full-time in NXS alongside team-mate Riley Herbst.
Drivers and team partners will be announced at a later date. Currently, Josh Berry (#4), Chase Briscoe (#14), Noah Gragson (#10), and Ryan Preece (#41) are without Cup rides for next season.
