The Goodyear 400 Throwback at Darlington Raceway is in the books. With Brad Keselowski’s win, Ford has its first win of the season. Stewart-Haas Racing even had two drivers inside the top 5. Josh Berry had a very Harvick-esque day by finishing 3rd after starting 33rd. Chase Briscoe finished 5th. In fact, every Stewart-Haas car finished in the top 17. Despite this uptick in performance, we are starting to hear more Stewart-Haas rumors.
Given the increase in value of NASCAR team charters, the assumed general unhappiness that Tony Stewart has with the direction of NASCAR, and the assumed lack of interest by Gene Haas, it makes sense that there would be some rumors regarding the sale of SHR charters. Stewart-Haas has struggled the past few years. Harvick went winless in his final season. Everything points to the possibility of downsizing.
Most of the rumors revolve around one or two charters being sold. Recently, however, with the announcement of Michael McDowell’s departure from Front Row at the end of the season, talk of an SHR/Front Row merger developed. It was generally thought that Josh Berry and Chase Briscoe would be the two that SHR kept. Griffin Fuller of Pit Pass Network brought up Noah Gragson’s performance this year as evidence that could suggest a merger.
Stewart-Haas Leaving Cup?
Rumor Mill: Stewart-Haas Racing's 4 charters are rumored to be heading to Front Row Motorsports and Trackhouse, with SHR keeping their Xfinity Series team.
Read Here: https://t.co/AC0OidPaCo pic.twitter.com/0y7l9iqlo8
— The Daily Downforce (@dailydownforce) May 15, 2024
According to the Daily Downforce, SHR is selling all Cup charters. Two charters are apparently going to Front Row Motorsports, while the other two are going to Trackhouse Racing. They cite an article by Sportsnaut, which states that Stewart-Haas’s “entire building and operation” appears to be up for grabs as well. They also cite an article by Bob Pockrass of Fox Sports, which states that SHR could sell one of their two buildings if Front Row is looking to expand.
To be fair, there is a lot of speculation going on around Stewart-Haas Racing right now. The whole ordeal with the study group and who was (or was not) invited is not helping things. Even with that, it seems to me that one of the most likely scenarios is selling the charter for the #41 car. After all, Ryan Preece is in the last year of his contract, and has been outperformed by his teammates. Even the Door Bumper Clear podcast is not sure what to think.
First, rumors about a manufacturer change began when Front Row was upgraded to a Tier-1 Ford Team. These rumored new manufacturers for SHR ranged from Chevy to even Honda. Now with Michael McDowell leaving Front Row, the rumored merger with Front Row seems very likely. Stewart-Haas could sell two charters to whomever and take their other two to a merger with Front Row. This would allow Briscoe, Berry, and Gragson to keep their rides. Finally, it could also just as equally mean that both Tony Stewart and Gene Haas are done with Cup series racing.
Super Silly Season
For sure, I understand the allure of rumors and the intrigue of “silly season.” First, there are a lot of questions from many fans about Tony Stewart’s dedication to his team. Second, Gene Haas seems like he may be more interested in F1. Third, Stewart-Haas is definitely a team that has been at the top. It would be huge news if they were calling it quits on the Cup series. Yet, I have to say that there is a much bigger story being missed here.
The bigger story is the somewhat slow but very steady resurgence of Stewart-Haas Racing in their first year minus Kevin Harvick. For me, that is the huge news. Yes, there were a lot of vultures circling overhead to begin this season. Before the season started, I don’t think anyone would have expected them to perform the way they have been. Perhaps, people are waiting to see if it is more than a fluke.
Focused on Performance (Despite Distractions)
While a lesser team trying to get back on track after the retirement of a legend might struggle with their focus during such a silly season, Stewart-Haas has not appeared to do so. Thus far, their 2024 season has been one of exceeding expectations. It would be a shame to see this team’s resurgence cut short due to being split up.
After Darlington, Chase Briscoe is sitting 14th in points. Next, Noah Gragson is 19th in points. Third, Josh Berry is 21st in points. True, Ryan Preece is back in 28th position in points. If anyone is going to be worried, I believe it is Ryan Preece. He has had some decent runs, but he’s had some rather bad luck. Hopefully, he can turn it around and improve his performance.
Yes, this type of uncertainty and wild speculation can increase stress on those working at an organization. So far, that doesn’t seem to be what is going on with Stewart-Haas. It seems that the bigger the rumor, the better they perform. So who knows, with these types of rumors, you may even see an SHR Ford in Victory Lane during the All-Star Weekend?
