Stewart-Haas Racing shutting down NASCAR teams at end of season

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Stewart-Haas Racing, a two-time NASCAR championship group with 69 Cup Collection victories since its 2009 formation, will shut its group on the finish of this season

Co-owners Tony Stewart and Gene Haas introduced the choice Tuesday after almost a yr of rumors that their four-car Cup Collection group was trying to promote its charters and both reduce or exit the inventory automotive sequence utterly. The information was delivered to the almost 300 SHR workers late Tuesday afternoon.

“It’s a choice that didn’t come simply, nor was it made shortly,” the house owners stated. “Racing is a labor-intensive, humbling sport. It requires unwavering dedication and huge assets, with a 365-day mindset to be higher than everybody else. It is a part of what makes success so rewarding. However the dedication wanted to extract most efficiency whereas offering sustainability is extremely demanding, and we have reached some extent in our respective private and enterprise lives the place it is time to go the torch.”

SHR this yr fields Cup Collection automobiles for Josh Berry, Chase Briscoe, Noah Gragson and Ryan Preece. Berry and Gragson are of their first seasons with the group. SHR holds the 2025 possibility on Briscoe and he has not been contractually permitted to debate future employment choices whilst rumors have swirled that SHR would shut.

“Stewart Haas has been house to my household and I for the final 7 years and on the finish of the yr myself and the whole group can be on the lookout for a brand new house and new alternatives within the Cup sequence,” Briscoe posted on social media. “I’ve superb companions behind me and may’t wait to get them again in victory lane.”

The transfer may also shutter the SHR Xfinity Collection group, with two automobiles pushed by Cole Custer and Riley Herbst.

Gene Haas based Haas CNC Racing in 2002 and the California businessman lured Stewart in as a co-owner forward of the 2009 season. Stewart had received two Cup championships for Joe Gibbs Racing on the time however could not flip down an fairness stake and alternative to assist a small group win races and contend for titles.

Stewart in his 2009 debut season gave the rebranded group its first Cup victory — he received 4 races that yr — and its first Cup title in 2011. Kevin Harvick added a second championship in 2014.

Stewart, Harvick and Clint Bowyer have all retired from NASCAR driving and SHR since then has been in a grueling rebuild. The group’s final Cup Collection win was in 2022 with Harvick a yr earlier than he retired. SHR did not win a Cup race final season.

The group additionally is ready to lose a few of its help from Ford on the finish of the season, though Mark Rushbrook, the worldwide director of Ford Efficiency, informed The Related Press final week he had no thought what SHR’s plans are past this yr.

SHR additionally misplaced main sponsorship this season when Smithfield Meals exited NASCAR and Anheuser-Busch moved to Trackhouse Racing.

Haas, 71, spends most of his time along with his System 1 group and Stewart is driving a full NHRA schedule, making each absentee house owners at NASCAR occasions. Haas was additionally sick for a lot of final yr.

The NASCAR group is primarily run by Joe Custer, the chief working officer and longtime Gene Haas confidant. His son, Cole, received the Xfinity championship final yr for SHR.

Amongst SHR’s accomplishments are the 2 Cup titles, two Xfinity championships and victories that embrace crown-jewel occasions such because the Daytona 500, Brickyard 400 and Southern 500.

“We’re happy with all of the wins and championships we have earned since becoming a member of collectively in 2009, however much more particular is the tradition we constructed and the friendships we cast as we dedicated to a typical trigger — successful races and amassing trophies,” Stewart and Haas stated. “We now have super respect and appreciation for all of our workers, and we’ll work diligently to help them throughout this transition to search out new alternatives past the 2024 race season.”

A part of Haas’ F1 group is run from the Kannapolis-based store and it’s unclear if that may proceed or if Haas has plans to additionally depart from F1.

It is also not clear what occurs to the 4 charters SHR holds that assure entry into the sphere each week. Spire Motorsports final yr purchased a constitution for $40 million, however the precise constitution worth fluctuates yearly.

Groups are in a bitter combat with NASCAR over charters, that are set to run out on the finish of this season. The groups need them made everlasting and never renewable however NASCAR has refused to budge on the problem.

Ought to SHR be capable of promote the charters, it seems there may be curiosity from Entrance Row Motorsports, 23XI Racing and Trackhouse. There’s additionally hypothesis that Joe Custer might retain one of many charters and run a automotive for his son.

The place SHR’s drivers land is unknown. Briscoe ought to be capable of begin speaking to different groups now about his future. The group additionally held an possibility for subsequent yr on Berry, who would not convey a lot private sponsorship and acquired the break of his profession when SHR employed him forward of this season.

Gragson’s contract was introduced as a multiyear deal and has backing from Bass Professional Retailers to take to a different group. Preece is in a contract yr with SHR so was already free to buy across the sequence.

Cole Custer might find yourself in a automotive in both Cup or the Xfinity Collection with backing of Haas’ CNC Automation firm, whereas Herbst has important monetary backing from Monster Power that ought to give him choices.