Stewart-Haas Racing had a season to forget in the 2023 Cup Series. None of their drivers managed to win a single race and the retiring Kevin Harvick was the only one who made it to the playoffs. With The Closer hanging up his boots, Tony Stewart has seemingly not found a like-for-like replacement in terms of race craft and experience. This, according to an eminent insider, could prove to be the team’s downfall in 2024.

Kevin Harvick’s loss will gravely impact Stewart-Haas Racing, claims insider

SHR has the likes of Chase Briscoe, Ryan Preece, and new addition Josh Berry in its ranks at the moment. The team wouldn’t have been short of one experienced racer had Aric Almirola stayed on in a full-time role but the 39-year-old also decided to give up the role to find a better work-life balance. The veteran will likely be looking to land a part-time role. So the team has been left without an experienced Cup Series driver ahead of the 2024 Cup Series season.

The #10 is yet to be filled but it is unlikely that Tony Stewart will find someone remotely as promising as Kevin Harvick. According to eminent insider Rick Allen, this could slow down SHR further in 2024. “I think they come out slow. With only Ryan Preece and Chase Briscoe returning, they just don’t have that kind of senior leadership, that star power that they’ve had with Kevin Harvick forever and I think that is going to slow them down a little bit,” Allen said.

However, Allen has faith that Josh Berry will be able to eventually grow into a competitive driver in the #4 car. The former JR Motorsports driver will be working with the experienced Rodney Childers. Allen believes that though the Berry–Childers partnership is promising, it will take some time before SHR can regularly compete for race wins.

“Now, Rodney Childers being his crew chief, those two guys will get to work together, I think that’s going to help him have greater success. Like I said, every race you’re in the car with the guy, you’re gonna get better and you’re gonna see what your competition does, you got to fight to get to that level of your competition. I think it’s gonna take a while for Stewart-Haas Racing to have that feel that they can go out there and compete against anybody especially coming off of a winless season,” he added.

While there was utter disappointment for Tony Stewart in the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series, a contrasting story played out for the 52-year-old in the NHRA Championship.

Despite Cup Series misery, Tony Stewart has won multiple championships in 2023

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Matt Hagan of Funny Cars made the three-time Cup Series champion a happy man as won the 52-year-old a prestigious NHRA Championship. It was Hagan’s fourth NHRA title and he held off a stern challenge from Robert Hight to get the job done.

Watch This Story: Kevin Harvick’s Last NASCAR Race

“It’s just one of those things where you just hate to have to stand there and watch someone go out to win a championship; that’s that’s just not my style of racing. That’s not how I want to win, but it’s really about the body of work that we did all year and coming in here and being ahead and points to be able to have that opportunity where if they went out the same round, we win the championship,” Hagan said after the race.

Despite Cup Series misery, the year is ending on a positive note for Tony Stewart. A few days before he won the NHRA title, his team was victorious in the Xfinity Series. These results will surely givie a lot of confidence heading into 2024.

Read More – “Already Got Bored”- Kevin Harvick’s Obscure Retirement Disclosure to Dale Earnhardt Jr Wins Over Disheartened Fans