Front Row Motorsports Lead Pursuit of Tony Stewart’s NASCAR Charters: “We’re Always Looking to Expand”

Sources have confirmed that Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) will be announcing decisions on its future to employees on Tuesday. Word around the team’s headquarters in Kannapolis, North Carolina is that it will divest all four of its charters and cease operations in the Cup Series. Should the rumor translate into reality, Front Row Motorsports (FRM) will be at the forefront to grab at least one of the charters.

While not explicitly mentioning Stewart-Haas Racing as their seller, Front Row Motorsports’ General Manager Jerry Freeze did admit that they were planning to expand to be a three-car team soon. He also said that the team’s owner Bob Jenkins regretted having to downsize from owning three charters a few years back and wants to be running on all engines soon.

His words to The Athletic went, “I think we’re always looking to expand, to be honest with you, and I think this year there’s a lot of chatter about that. Bob has this desire to be three cars; we were at one time, and I think he had a lot of regret that we sold the one charter we had.” Should the team field another car, it will need a bigger operating space than its current one. That’s a requirement that SHR can again help with.

All eyes will be on Stewart-Haas Racing tomorrow as they plan to inform employees on its future plans. pic.twitter.com/WbJL5k7lfn

— Dirty Mo Media (@DirtyMoMedia) May 27, 2024

Along with the charters, team co-owner Tony Stewart is also looking to sell a part of the team’s headquarters. FRM could obtain one of the two buildings on the Kannapolis campus and house its Truck Series team there. In the scenario that Jenkins does purchase a charter from Stewart, the other three items could potentially be sold to 23XI Racing, Trackhouse Racing, or Legacy Motor Club.

What does the future hold for Stewart-Haas Racing’s drivers?

Ryan Preece is a pending free agent for the team. Josh Berry has a year remaining on his contract and Chase Briscoe has an option year that the team holds. When Noah Gragson signed with the team before the ongoing season, his deal was termed a “multi-year”. However, he isn’t certain of his return either. “The main focus is running good and hopefully the opportunity presents itself,” he said.

Briscoe is a driver that many teams will be pleased to sign if he isn’t wearing SHR colors in 2025. He has been associated with Ford for a long time now which connects him to a potential seat with Wood Brothers Racing. With time running out, where each piece falls will soon come to light.