The 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season has been a nightmare for Stewart Haas Racing. They ended the year winless, with all their drivers, including Kevin Harvick, missing the playoffs. Even Harvick’s run ended in the first round of playoffs. The team received massive criticism over the poor performance, as they dropped down to the fourth-best Ford team on the grid behind Peske, RFK, and Frontraw.
One of the main things the team might regret the most is that they failed to give Harvick, one of their most accomplished racer ever, a car capable of winning the race in his retirement year. The 2014 Cup champion retired with a winless season, as he couldn’t match his rivals as the car consistently underperformed.
Amidst the criticism SHR has been getting, they have released a statement addressing the haters and doubters of the team. The Tony Stewart co-owned team has promised their fans that they will remind the grid what the DNA of Stewart Haas Racing is in the upcoming season as they seek to move on from the disappointment.
We’ve seen the doubters and heard all the haters. But anyone who doubts us doesn’t really know us. So we’re kicking off 2024, reminding everyone of who we are. Because as racers we’ve never lost our ambition. And as a team, we’ve always stayed true to our DNA. SHR said via a statement on X.
Finding big sponsors is part of SHR rebuild for 2024
Alongside Kevin Harvick, SHR also witnessed the departure of their veteran racer, Aric Almirola . He returned to Joe Gibbs Racing to race part-time in the Xfinity Series from next season. With the exit of the veteran, three major sponsors left the team, with two joining rivals.
Kevin Harvick’s long-time primary sponsor, Buschlight, left SHR to join Ross Chastain at Trackhouse Racing. His other sponsor, Hunt Brothers Pizza, joined Team Penske Racing after signing a deal with two-time champion Joey Logano. Almirola’s’ sponsor, Smithfield Foods, ceased all their NASCAR operations.
The replacements SHR has signed for the departed veterans, Josh Berry and Noah Gragson , are not the best attractors of big-time partners. Hence, the team needs to work extra to find solid partnerships for them.
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