Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s New Deal Ends Hyak’s NASCAR Exit Speculation

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Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s New Deal Ends Hyak’s NASCAR Exit Speculation

Originally posted on RFKRacingDigest
By Sabyasachi Biswas | Last updated May 12, 2026 2:20 AM ET

There have been many rumors of HYAK Motorsports’ exit from NASCAR amid a series of underwhelming performances. Running a one-team car is often expensive, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s recent results did not suggest otherwise. Amid this, the team’s offer to extend Stenhouse Jr.’s contract for multiple years put all speculation to rest.

“I‘m thrilled to finally get this contract extension done. It’s something we’ve been working on for a while, and I‘m really thankful to everyone at Hyak Motorsports, especially Gordon,” Stenhouse Jr. said in a statement.

Stenhouse Jr. joined the team in 2020 from Roush Fenway Racing. At the time, the team was known as JTG Daugherty Racing. However, in 2025, they renamed the team to HYAK Motorsports.

The No. 47 isn’t changing anytime soon. We’re excited to announce a multi-year contract extension with Ricky Stenhouse Jr.! pic.twitter.com/6kx1E1aGzQ
— Hyak Motorsports (@HYAKMotorsports) May 11, 2026

“It‘s never easy being a single-car team, but the experience we’re gaining and the notebook we’re building is helping us get better and better. More than anything, this team feels like one big family. On and off the race track, we’re building something that has me really excited about the future of Hyak Motorsports and what we can accomplish together moving forward.” Ricky Stenhouse Jr. further added.

Hyak has had some issues with sponsorship, or the lack of it, for the last couple of years. Kroger, one of JTG Daugherty Racing’s long-time sponsors, did not return to the team despite multiple rumors.

Moreover, there were rumors about Stenhouse Jr. shifting his allegiance elsewhere, to Spire Motorsports. It was reported that the 2023 Daytona 500 winner would move to Spire Motorsports to drive the No. 7 car and replace Justin Haley. Amidst all of this, the recent contract extension obliterated all the rumors of Hyak’s shutdown.

Currently, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is 27th in the standings after 12 races and has 193 points to his name. He has a top-five and two top-tens to his name, with P2 at Daytona being his best result so far.

HYAK Motorsports boss showers praise on Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Gordon Smith, the owner of HYAK Motorsports, shared his thoughts as they extended the No. 47 driver’s contract on a multi-year deal. Speaking about how Stenhouse Jr. has been the sole hope of the team, he said:

“Ricky has been a huge part of what we’re building at Hyak Motorsports, and we’re proud to continue this partnership for years to come,” said Gordon. “He brings experience, leadership, and a competitive mindset every weekend, and we believe there’s still a lot ahead for this team with Ricky in the No. 47.”

Since he arrived at the team, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. has conquered two crown jewels: the 2023 Daytona 500 and the 2024 YellaWood 500 at Talladega. It will be interesting to see if he manages to pick up victories this season with the contract extension securing his future in the Cup Series.

This article first appeared on RFKRacingDigest and was syndicated with permission.

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