Stewart-Haas Racing Prepares to Hit the Track One Last Time

Stewart-Haas Racing is closing up shop after this weekend's race in Phoenix, but how many of its drivers have been able to find a new home for the 2025 season?

The NASCAR Cup Series Championship will take place this Sunday at Phoenix Raceway, marking a somber moment for many fans and longtime employees at Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR). While some have already secured a new home for next year, others are still searching for their next opportunity. This applies to both crew members and drivers alike.

Why Is Stewart-Haas Racing Shutting Down?

The organization, owned by four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart and famed engineer Gene Haas, announced in May that they would be shutting down at the end of the 2024 season. The move marks the end of a 15-year partnership, which started when Stewart was still racing full-time in the Cup Series. The owners stated in a previous press release from NASCAR that the decision was not one they came to lightly.

“Racing is a labor-intensive, humbling sport. It requires unwavering commitment and vast resources, with a 365-day mindset to be better than everyone else. It’s part of what makes success so rewarding,” the team said. “But the commitment needed to extract maximum performance while providing sustainability is incredibly demanding, and we’ve reached a point in our respective personal and business lives where it’s time to pass the torch.”

A Look Back at Stewart-Haas Racing's Journey

SHR has earned 2 driver’s championships and nearly 70 Cup Series wins throughout its history, according to NASCAR. The team has featured many Indiana-native drivers, including, most notably, Tony Stewart, who is from Columbus. Other Hoosier drivers who’ve raced for SHR include Ryan Newman from South Bend and current No. 14 driver Chase Briscoe, who is from Mitchell. Additional notable drivers from SHR’s tenure, outside of Hoosier roots, include Kurt Busch, Daniel Suarez, Danica Patrick, Kevin Harvick, and Clint Bowyer.

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The organization fielded four Cup Series cars and two Xfinity Series cars throughout the 2024 season. Cole Custer will compete in the final four of the Xfinity Series Championship this Saturday — a title he won in 2023. While no SHR car made it to the Cup Series Championship Four, Briscoe is currently ranked No. 14 in the season standings (ironic, right?). He was the last of the SHR Cup Series drivers to be eliminated from playoff eligibility after encountering mechanical issues at Charlotte.

What's Next for the Drivers of Stewart-Haas Racing?

Four out of the six current SHR drivers have been able to find a home for the 2025 season. As for the 2024 Cup Series competitors, Chase Briscoe will move to Joe Gibbs Racing, taking over for the retiring Martin Truex Jr. in the No. 19. Noah Gragson will head to Front Row Motorsports, and Josh Berry will join Wood Brothers Racing, piloting the No. 21 in place of Harrison Burton. As of Nov. 6, 2024, Ryan Preece has yet to secure a seat for the 2025 season, but there has been speculation that he’ll be picked up by RFK Racing.

As far as the 2024 Xfinity competitors go, Cole Custer will move on to compete in the Cup Series full-time, piloting the No. 41 for the new Haas Factory Team, owned by Gene Haas. Following the dissolution of SHR, Haas will charter one Cup Series car and one Xfinity Series car. The Xfinity car has yet to find a driver, but according to NASCAR, the new organization has made an offer to fellow SHR alum Riley Herbst, though no deal has been finalized. So far, Preece and Herbst are the only ones not officially tied to a new team.