Stewart-Haas Racing, a prominent NASCAR team with a rich history in the sport, has announced that it will be closing its doors at the conclusion of the current season. Co-owners Tony Stewart and Gene Haas made the difficult decision after months of speculation surrounding the future of their four-car Cup team.
The team, which has amassed 69 Cup Series victories since its inception in 2009, cited the demanding nature of the sport and the need for unwavering commitment and vast resources as key factors in their decision to step away from NASCAR.
SHR currently fields Cup cars for drivers Josh Berry, Chase Briscoe, Noah Gragson, and Ryan Preece. The closure of the team will also impact the SHR Xfinity Series team, which features drivers Cole Custer and Riley Herbst.
Gene Haas, who founded Haas CNC Racing in 2002, brought Tony Stewart on board as a co-owner in 2009. The partnership yielded immediate success, with Stewart securing the team's first Cup victory in his debut season and a Cup title in 2011. Kevin Harvick later added a second championship in 2014.
Following the retirements of Stewart, Harvick, and Clint Bowyer, SHR has been in a rebuilding phase, culminating in their decision to close the team at the end of this season. The team has faced challenges such as losing support from Ford and major sponsorships in recent years.
As SHR prepares to wind down its operations, questions remain about the future of its drivers and the fate of the team's charters. Teams like Front Row Motorsports, 23XI Racing, and Trackhouse have shown interest in potentially acquiring the charters.
Despite the closure of the team, Stewart and Haas expressed pride in the accomplishments and culture they built over the years. They have pledged to assist their employees in finding new opportunities beyond the 2024 race season.
As the NASCAR community absorbs the news of SHR's impending closure, the future destinations of drivers like Briscoe, Berry, Gragson, Preece, Custer, and Herbst remain uncertain, with various possibilities and opportunities on the horizon.
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