Stewart–Haas Racing (SHR) was an American professional stock car racing team that competed in both the NASCAR Cup Series and the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The team was co-owned by three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart and Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation. The team was established in 2009 after Stewart left Joe Gibbs Racing and entered a partnership with Haas, acquiring a 50% stake in the team and merging with the former Haas CNC Racing team. Stewart–Haas Racing permanently shut down at the conclusion of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season.
The team was based and headquartered in Kannapolis, North Carolina – roughly north of Charlotte Motor Speedway – alongside sister team and Formula One entrant Haas F1 Team.
From its inception until 2016, the team ran with Chevrolet engines and chassis provided by Hendrick Motorsports. Beginning in 2017 the team began partnering with Roush-Yates Engines and switched to Ford engines, while building their chassis in-house.
The team has won in each of the three national touring divisions, joining Hendrick Motorsports, Richard Childress Racing, Joe Gibbs Racing, and RFK Racing as the only teams to accomplish that feat.
On May 28, 2024, it was announced that the team would shut down at the end of the 2024 season. On June 20, Gene Haas announced he will keep one of the team's four charters and restructure the team as Haas Factory Team in 2025.
History
On July 10, 2008, it was announced that then-two-time Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart would join the team as a driver and owner for the 2009 season, receiving a 50% stake in the team. Stewart had been driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, but wanted to own a racing team of his own, though it has been speculated that JGR's switch from Chevrolet to Toyota also played a possible role. Haas, meanwhile, desired to have Stewart drive for the team, and for Stewart to attract sponsors and personnel. The team was merged from Haas CNC Racing and renamed into Stewart–Haas Racing. The team proceeded to sign several high-level sponsors and experienced personnel, while better utilizing its alliance with Hendrick Motorsports.
After fielding General Motors cars since the team was founded, on February 24, 2016, it was announced that the team would switch to Ford for the 2017 season, receiving engines from Roush-Yates Engines. The team also restarted its program in the now-Xfinity Series.
On August 2, 2022, Stewart–Haas Racing announced that effective September 1, President Brett Frood would step down to become commissioner of the National Lacrosse League. He will remain as an executive advisor to SHR and board chairman for Tony Stewart's entities. In addition, vice president of sales Brian McKinley would be promoted to chief commercial officer while Greg Zipadelli would transition from vice president of competition to chief competition officer and Joe Custer will remain as co-president.
On May 28, 2024, Stewart announced that Stewart–Haas Racing would shut down its Cup and Xfinity Series teams after the 2024 season, resulting in 323 job losses. One charter was sold to Front Row Motorsports for $20–25 million to be used for the No. 4 car driven by Noah Gragson, the second charter was then sold to 23XI Racing for its No. 35 car driven by Riley Herbst, and the third charter was sold to Trackhouse Racing for its No. 88 car driven by Shane van Gisbergen. On June 20, Gene Haas confirmed he would retain one charter and reorganize the team as Haas Factory Team, with Joe Custer as president. The new team will also keep SHR's two Xfinity Series entries.
Cup Series Car No. 4 history
Ryan Newman (2009–2013)
The No. 4 car originated as the No. 39 car. In the 2009 season, Newman led the first 25 laps at Bristol and finished seventh. He finished sixth the next week at Martinsville after recovering from a pit road mistake. After finishing in the top twenty the next two weeks, Newman had his breakout race leading at Talladega, nearly scoring Stewart–Haas Racing's first win. With two laps left, he was passed by Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski. Newman finished third after Keselowski sent Edwards airborne and crashing on his windshield and hood. The next week, Newman led 45 laps at Richmond and finished fourth. He made the Chase for the Sprint Cup but failed to win a race in 2009. The team did, however, score 15 top 10 finishes and managed to finish ninth in points.
The U.S. Army returned to Newman's car for the 2010 season as sponsor for 15 races and with new sponsorship from Tornados. The team won their first race in the No. 39 at Phoenix. The win was also the first in NASCAR history for a car numbered 39. The team failed to make the Chase, though, and finished 15th in points. In 2011, Newman scored a second win at New Hampshire while Stewart finished second making it the first 1-2 for SHR. Newman and Stewart made the Chase, and Newman came home 10th in the final standings. For the 2012 season, Quicken Loans sponsored the No. 39 car. Newman got off to a quick start in 2012 with a win at Martinsville in only the 6th race. However, his momentum flagged over the summer and he missed the Chase, finishing the season in 14th place.
In 2013, Quicken Loans became Newman's primary sponsor as the U.S. Army significantly reduced its motorsports sponsorships. Newman would struggle through the first half of the season adjusting to the Generation 6 car. Through the second half of the season, SHR's performance would pick up, and Newman would take his first win of the season at the 2013 Brickyard 400, winning the pole and driving away from a dominant Jimmie Johnson. He would become the second Indiana native alongside Stewart to win the 400. Newman originally failed to make the 2013 Chase, but after Michael Waltrip Racing was penalized for "manipulating the results of the Federated Auto Parts 400", Newman took Martin Truex Jr.'s place in the Chase. After 2013, Newman was released after it was announced funding could not be found to keep his No. 39 team in operation (though the team would later sign Kurt Busch to a fourth ride).
Kevin Harvick (2014–2023) For 2014, Kevin Harvick was signed to the newly renumbered No. 4 Chevrolet SS, with his Budweiser and Jimmy John's sponsorship coming over from Richard Childress Racing. Hunt Brothers Pizza, which had sponsored the team in the past, also came over with Harvick. Harvick won in just his second start with SHR at the spring Phoenix race. The team then won again at Darlington in April, leading 239 of 374 laps and using fresher tires to pass Dale Earnhardt Jr. with two laps to go. Harvick's two wins with the team earned him a spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup. He advanced into the second round with two top-fives and won at Charlotte in October to earn a spot in the third round. Harvick finished the season strong, winning the penultimate race of the year at the fall Phoenix race to remain in title contention, then winning the final race of the year at Homestead to clinch the second Cup Championship for SHR.
Harvick had a strong run during the 2015 season with 28 top-10s and wins at Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Dover, but lost the championship to Kyle Busch by just one point. In 2016, Anheuser-Busch switched from Budweiser to Busch Beer as the No. 4's sponsor brand. Harvick's run in 2016 was not as successful as his first two years with SHR, finishing eighth in the points standings with 27 top-10s and wins at Phoenix, Bristol, New Hampshire, and Kansas.
With SHR transitioning from Chevrolet to Ford in 2017, Harvick rebounded heavily with wins at Sonoma and Texas, along with 23 top-10s, and a third-place finish in the points standings. Harvick's 2018 run fared much better, with a career-high eight wins, 20 top-fives, and 26 top-10s, despite his Las Vegas win being encumbered for a post-race inspection violation. With a win at the fall Texas race, he secured himself in the Final Four at Homestead. However, three days later, the win was declared encumbered after the car was discovered to have a non-compliant rear spoiler during post-race inspection. The violation resulted in an L1 penalty that docked the team 40 owner and driver points - voiding Harvick's eligibility in the Final Four - and placed Childers and car chief Robert Smith on suspension for the final two races. Tony Gibson became Harvick's crew chief for the remainder of the season. At Phoenix, Harvick overcame a flat tire during the race to finish fifth and secure enough points to make the Championship 4. He finished third at Homestead and in the points standings.
Harvick's 2019 season started with a win at the Gander RV Duel 1 at Daytona. Despite a 26th-place finish at the 2019 Daytona 500, he stayed consistent with six straight top-10 finishes, including three fourth-place finishes at Atlanta, Las Vegas, and California. At Bristol, Harvick was forced to start at the back of the field and serve a pass-through penalty on the first lap after his car failed pre-race inspection three times; despite this setback, he finished 13th place on the lead lap. Harvick would finally get his first win and the organization's first win of 2019 at New Hampshire. He would also win at Michigan and Indianapolis, the latter being his second career Brickyard 400 win. He once again sealed his spot in the Championship 4 after holding off SHR teammates Aric Almirola and Daniel Suárez for his third straight victory at the fall Texas race, his fifth Championship 4 appearance in the last six years.
Harvick started the 2020 season with a fourth-place finish in Duel 2 of the 2020 Bluegreen Vacations Duels at Daytona. Despite sustaining minor damage, he finished fifth at the 2020 Daytona 500, his first top-five in the race since 2016. He stayed consistently in the top 10 at Las Vegas, Fontana, and Phoenix before the season was halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. When racing resumed on May 17, Harvick scored his 50th career win at 2020 The Real Heroes 400 at Darlington. Following the second Drydene 311 at Dover International Speedway, Harvick clinched the Regular Season Championship. Despite this achievement, as well as nine wins in the season, he failed to make the Championship 4 after finishing 17th at Martinsville. Harvick finished fifth in the points standings.
Despite scoring no wins in 2021, Harvick managed to make the playoffs with his consistency. During the playoffs, Harvick made it to the Round of 12 with five consecutive top-10 finishes, yet he had the disadvantage of lacking the bonus playoff points. At Bristol, he tangled with Chase Elliott, costing the latter several laps after cutting a tire. Harvick led the closing laps, but was blocked by Elliott, allowing Kyle Larson to overtake him for the win. A heated argument between Harvick and Elliott ensued on pit road after the race. During the Charlotte Roval race, Harvick bumped Elliott and sent him to the wall with rear-end damage. Harvick later missed turn 1 with Elliott chasing him down and crashed head-on into the wall. As a result, he was eliminated from the Round of 8. Harvick once again finished fifth in the final standings.