Kevin Harvick expressed unconventional thoughts about the closure of SHR. The announcement of Stewart Haas Racing’s operations ending after the 2024 season shocked the NASCAR community. They plan to sell their three charters and significantly reduce their workforce.
However, recent news revealed that one of SHR’s charters will be retained and used by Factory Haas Team, which will continue to compete with two cars in the Xfinity Series. This development has led former team driver Kevin Harvick to raise some intriguing questions.
Harvick pondered if a disagreement between owners Tony Stewart and Gene Haas ultimately led to the team’s demise. He wonders if Stewart became frustrated with his limited influence over the competitive side of the team and made the decision to end operations. Harvick cites cases like SHR’s failure to hire drivers Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson as examples of situations where Stewart’s authority was questioned.
Expanding on his thoughts, Harvick also predicts that in 2025, Haas will return to its state prior to Stewart’s arrival. He anticipates that Factory Haas Team’s endeavor will face similar struggles to past ones, as he believes the legendary driver was the true catalyst for SHR’s success.
Considering Harvick’s extensive knowledge about the team, his statements and doubts carry some credibility. It will be intriguing to see if Gene Haas can achieve success as a Cup team owner without the presence of Tony Stewart.