Stewart-Haas Racing will be no more after 2024. The news came Tuesday afternoon, dropped via a joint statement from Gene Haas and Tony Stewart . It’s an unceremonious end for an organization that a decade ago was celebrating its second NASCAR Cup Series championship.
A championship — the second in four years — that solidified their place in the conversation about who the series’ leaders were. Kevin Harvick won the 2014 championship. In his first year with the organization, Harvick won five races and led the series with 2,137 laps led.
In the press room that night, a question was posed about the satisfaction of proving the critics wrong. The Stewart-Haas Racing roster in 2014 consisted of Harvick, Kurt Busch, Danica Patrick and Tony Stewart. There were no doubts about the talent.
But there were questions about bringing together a group of strong personalities. In typical Stewart fashion, he looked at the reporter, leaned into the microphone and flatly said, “Do you think we’re crazy now?” Gene Haas added, sitting more relaxed and leaning back in his chair, “Crazy works.” Haas then smiled and raised his eyebrows.
“Don’t underestimate why we think the way we think is the moral to the story,” Stewart continued. “You guys are pretty smart, but we’re smarter.” Harvick praised Stewart, Haas and everyone at Stewart-Haas Racing for not being afraid to make bold decisions.
A characteristic that Harvick said makes you successful in life. Throughout its tenu.