The four drivers of Stewart-Haas Racing were probably the most disappointed men in the world last week. Team owners Tony Stewart and Gene Haas came forward to announce last Tuesday that the racing outfit will cease to exist at the end of the 2024 season and that its employees will have to find work elsewhere. In the aftermath of ripping the bandaid, the drivers recalled the last few days.
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Talking to reporters in Illinois, Chase Briscoe said that the reality of things was tough even though they’d all known that such a decision was coming their way. He continued hoping the best for those in the #14 team, “It’s not going to be easy for all these people trying to find a spot. Hopefully they can all find a spot. I mean they’re just incredible men and women over there so they deserve to be in the sport.”
Briscoe himself is in the best position to find a seat for 2025 amongst his teammates. He has a long-running partnership with Ford which could help him figure a way out of the mess. Newcomer Josh Berry is equally frustrated as Briscoe despite having spent less than a year with the team. The downer has hit right at a time when he is just getting into his groove with some promising results.
He told the press, “Tuesday was a tough day for all of us. I mean… From the drivers to every man and woman that works in the shop, right? It was most definitely a tough day. But Tony met with us and then the crew chiefs and then obviously the whole company. Honestly, given the circumstances, I think he handled it as good as he could have.” Racing hard through the season is all that’s left on Berry’s mind.
Noah Gragson is grateful to Tony Stewart for taking him in
Gragson was in a tough spot during the 2023 season following his suspension. In a moment when his future in the Cup Series looked extremely bleak, Stewart stood up and signed him onto the Stewart-Haas Racing roster. The show of confidence is why Gragson doesn’t have any bitterness in him over the closure of the company.
He tells NASCAR, “I told Tony that I’m extremely thankful and grateful for you taking a chance on me and giving me an opportunity to reinvent myself and reprove myself. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be in this position looking for opportunities.” Gragson has made the best possible use of the opportunity that he got with multiple top-10 results, which won’t go unnoticed in the eyes of a potential employer.
