The future of SHR will determine the entire silly season of NASCAR for 2024-25. Since the introduction of the Next-Gen cars in 2022, the Ford team Stewart Haas Racing has been experiencing a slump. They have only won three races since then, all in the first year of the Next-Gen cars. Last season, they ended the year winless and have shown no signs of winning this year.
Recent reports indicate that SHR may downsize by selling their charters. However, according to the latest report from Jordan Bianchi on the Dirty Mo Media’s Teardown Podcast, SHR may announce that they will cease their Cup operation after 2024.
Stewart-Haas Racing will be in the spotlight tomorrow when they inform their employees about their future plans.
Bianchi mentioned that SHR drivers and staff will be informed about the team’s decision on Tuesday. It is highly likely that there will be divestment and downsizing. The question is whether the entire team will be affected or only a selected number of charters will be released in 2024.
In the same podcast, the journalist reported that there will be a significant restructuring as part of the new charter agreement. NASCAR wants teams to have a maximum of three charters. However, legendary teams like Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing, which already have four teams, may continue as they are due to a grandfather clause. Other teams will have to operate with three cars, similar to Team Penske.
Is the era of four-car teams coming to an end? (Except for those with grandfathered rights.)
The NASCAR decision seems rational, considering SHR’s current state. Having four teams and not performing well puts teams in difficult positions. Reports also suggest that there will be ways for teams to have four cars as well.
