Stewart-Haas Racing News

Updated: 2010

Sunday, June 13, 2010

No plans for a third SHR team in 2011: Bobby Hutchens, competition director for Stewart-Haas Racing, said that he had a personal deadline of June 1 for expanding to three teams for next season. "I think anything past June 1, trying to put something together, unfortunately, could distract these two teams and I don't want that to happen,'' Hutchens said. "If we're doing something, we need to be moving pretty fast.'' Hutchens said there's been "pretty much zero'' conversations about adding a third team for next season within the last month. Hutchens did say that if a decision was made much later to add a third team, it still could be done.(Roanoke Times)

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Stewart-Hass has held no conversation with Hendrick about third team: Stewart Haas Racing competition director Bobby Hutchens said on Sunday that he has had no formal discussions with Hendrick Motorsports about adding a third team for next season to accommodate Kasey Kahne. Though such decisions are usually finalized by late summer, he'd prefer to have a decision on a new program  including driver and sponsor  by June 1 to avoid disrupting the programs of Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman and "not be in a panic" in building cars and purchasing equipment for 2011. Kahne has signed to drive the No. 5 Chevy at Hendrick, but Mark Martin, the current occupant, is contracted through the end of 2011. Hendrick is working to outsource Kahne to a Chevrolet team under the premise that his current lineup will not change before 2012. "We have not had what I call permanent discussions with Mr. Hendrick or anybody at Hendrick Motorsports to zero in on (Kahne)," Hutchens said. "Kasey Kahne was definitely a possibility back when we started looking at this thing for ourselves in the middle of last year, so we're going to just see how all this shakes out." Hutchens said that in the current sponsor marketplace  neither existing Stewart Haas team is fully funded for 2011, and Old Spice announced last week that it would not return after this season  a new driver would almost certainly have to bring a sponsor.(ThatsRacin.com)

Monday, May 10, 2010

Old Spice leaving Stewart-Haas Racing next season: Two-time Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart is searching for a new sponsor for the 2011 season. Old Spice, a brand of Procter & Gamble which serves as primary sponsor of Stewart's No. 14 Chevy in 14 races this season, confirmed Sunday it has decided not to renew its sponsorship. "Based solely on a change in our marketing strategies, the Old Spice contract with Tony Stewart and Stewart-Haas Racing will expire at the end of 2010 and will not be renewed," Mike Norton, Old Spice Brand spokesman, said in a statement. Office Depot will continue as a co-primary sponsor of the No. 14 next season and SHR spokesman Mike Arning said the organization has already started a search for a new sponsor.(ThatsRacin.com)

Friday, February 19, 2010

Stewart anticapates both Stewart-Haas cars will be championship contenders: Tony Stewart has raised expectations for his Stewart-Haas race team this season. Last season, his team was in a building stage as it entered the Sprint Cup. Despite the challenges, Stewart won four races and led the point standings at the end of the 26-race regular season. A second team car, driven by Ryan Newman, also qualified for the Chase playoffs. “A year ago none of us knew what to expect,” said Stewart, who ended up sixth in the final standings. “I’m so extremely proud of the group we assembled and the relationships we built. Both of us getting in the Chase is something I want both teams to do again. I feel we have two teams, not only to make the Chase but to be championship contenders.” Darian Grubb, the crew chief on Stewart’s No. 14 Chevrolet, added, “Last year, we were building. This year, we’re strengthening the areas where we were weak.” (San Bernadino Sun)

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Office Depot honors Tony Stewart and Stewart's mother: The Office Depot Foundation  the independent, non-profit foundation that serves as the primary charitable giving arm of Office Depot  has recognized NASCAR driver Tony Stewart and his mother, Pam Boas, with the organization's highest honor: the "Listen Learn Care Award." This award reflects the Office Depot Foundation's mission  Listen Learn Care - by honoring people who have been exceptionally creative and innovative in following their dreams and in helping others to realize their goals and aspirations. Stewart and Boas have exemplified the award criteria through their outstanding support of the Office Depot Foundation National Backpack Program, as well as the ongoing charitable work they carry out through the Tony Stewart Foundation. Stewart assisted the Office Depot Foundation last summer in donating its 2 millionth backpack since the inception of the National Backpack Program in 2001. The Indiana native personally presented backpacks filled with essential school supplies to children in need during "Back-to-School Backpack Celebration" events in Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Indianapolis and Kansas City. "It's a great honor to receive the Office Depot Foundation's 'Listen Learn Care Award,' especially alongside my mom," Stewart said. "I've been fortunate enough to accomplish my dream of driving race cars for a living, and my mom always supported me in that goal. It means a lot to both of us to be able to give back and help others  especially kids  as they work hard toward achieving their dreams, too." Boas, a board member of the Tony Stewart Foundation, assisted in donating more than 5,500 backpacks to a number of groups that the organization traditionally supports. These groups included the Bartholomew School District in Columbus, Ind., Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis and several summer camp programs for children who are ill or have other special needs. To learn more about the Office Depot Foundation, the National Backpack Program and its other initiatives, visitwww.officedepotfoundation.org.(Edelman for Office Depot Racing)

Friday, February 12, 2010

Decorated war hero to be guest of U.S. Army team: Sgt. 1st Class Ryan Ragan, a decorated war hero from Sarasota, Fla., will be a guest of driver Ryan Newman and the U.S. Army NASCAR team for Sunday's Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. Ragan, a 1996 graduate of Sarasota High School, has served three deployments since joining the Army in 1999 -- two in Iraq and one in Turkey. He was awarded a Purple Heart in 2003 after suffering major injuries to his leg in Iraq when the vehicle he was riding in was struck with an improvised explosive device (IED). During his second lraq deployment in 2006, he was awarded a Bronze Star for meritorious service. "Being a Florida native, I think it's going to be pretty cool to attend the Daytona 500," said Ragan. "I met Ryan (Newman) at the Army All American Bowl last month and look forward to seeing him again and meeting all of his crew members. NASCAR is a big deal to the Soldiers and to see it all firsthand is going to be really special." Ragan, 32, is currently stationed in Fort Leonard Wood, Mo. He is studying business administration with online courses from the University of Maryland. Ragan will also join Newman and other guest speakers at "Strength For The Future," a unique education program for local Florida students presented by the U.S. Army. The event is slated to take place on Friday morning (10:15-11 a.m.) at the Speedway hospitality area -- behind the frontstretch grandstands.(US Army Racing)

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Stewart-Haas Racing to expand to third car team? Stewart-Haas Racing currently fields two cars in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, but could expand in the future, said Bobby Hutchens, Stewart-Haas Racing director of competition. "We've talked about that in our shop over the last couple months or weeks," said Hutchens. "That may something that's in our future if it fits our group up here. We're not going to do anything that's going to pull our two cars down from a performance standpoint. Also, we want to bring something in that's going to add to our program. We'll use our best practice approach that we've done in about everything we've done as far as choosing different paths to take. When the time comes to see if we expand from 2011, whether it's then or later, we'll do it."(CMS PR)

Friday, January 8, 2010

Stewart-Haas Racing adds Oreo/Ritz as sponsor: Longtime NASCAR sponsor Kraft Foods has added another chapter to its illustrious motorsports career by joining Stewart-Haas Racing, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team co-owned by two-time champion Tony Stewart. Kraft Foods' iconic Oreo cookie and Ritz cracker brands will herald the new relationship with Stewart-Haas Racing as the team's official cookie and cracker. Stewart will carry Ritz branding on the upper chest of his uniform and on the B-post of his No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevy. Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Ryan Newman will carry Oreo branding on the upper chest of his uniform and on the B-post of his No. 39 U.S. Army/Tornados/Haas Automation Chevy. Stewart will kick off the pairing in February at Daytona International Speedway by competing in the season-opening NASCAR Nationwide Series race behind the wheel of the No. 14 Oreo/Ritz Chevy. Kraft Foods will augment the partnership by continuing to be an official NASCAR sponsor with Oreo maintaining its role as the official cookie of NASCAR and Ritz remaining as the official cracker of NASCAR.(SHR)

Friday, Aug. 7, 2009

Stewart-Haas Racing unlikely to field third car in 2010: Owner/driver Tony Stewart says he doesn't foresee his Stewart-Haas Racing organization expanding to include a third NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team in 2010. Stewart-Haas currently fields the No. 14 Chevrolet for Stewart as well as the No. 39 Chevrolet for teammate Ryan Newman. "We're at a point in the season right now where we're getting close to the Chase [For The Sprint Cup], and we're focused on that," Stewart said Tuesday while hosting the second annual Smoke Show fantasy camp at Texas Motor Speedway. "We would pretty much have to have the decision, the agreements on all that already done. We'd have to have the driver, the sponsor; we'd have to have that done by now to be able for it to be feasible for next year." While Stewart has previously said that he would be open to adding a third team in the future, he said Tuesday that expansion wouldn't come "at the sacrifice of performance."(SceneDaily.com)

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Report: Harvick wants to join Stewart-Haas Racing: Kevin Harvick has told Richard Childress he would like to leave after this season, according to multiple sources. Harvick has one year remaining on his contract with RCR, but the Shell/Pennzoil sponsorship deal on the No. 29 Chvey ends at the end of this season, and Harvick is trying to move with it to Stewart-Haas. Tony Stewart has said his team is interested in running a third car in Sprint Cup in 2010. Childress is in a tough spot. He could hold Harvick to the contract and try to re-sign Shell/Pennzoil, but in a performance-based business, the Stewart-Haas option, undoubtedly, is more appealing to the gas and oil company. If Shell/Penzoil decides to leave, Childress has to find $15 million to $20 million in sponsorship to replace it -- a very difficult prospect in this economy. Harvick would also bring additional Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series capability to the organization, joining the JR Motorsports operation owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Rick Hendrick. Kevin Harvick Inc. competes in both series.(SI.com)

Danica Patrick visits Stewart-Haas race shop: Patrick was a guest of team owner Tony Stewart last fall at Phoenix. But the two-time Cup champion was not available to be a guide Monday because he was at a Goodyear tire test at Atlanta Motor Speedway. According to sources, Patrick was introduced to Ryan Newman, crew chief Tony Gibson, General Manager Bobby Hutchens and engineer Matt Borland. The tour included stops in the fabrication shop and a look at the seven-post shaker rig.(FOXSports.com)

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

No. 14's Darian Grubb named Wypall Crew Chief of the Race: Darian Grubb, crew chief for the No. 14 Burger King Chevy driven by Tony Stewart, has been named the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Race following Saturday night's Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway. After qualifying was rained out, the No. 14 team was able to pick the first pit stall by virtue of acquiring the pole position as the points leader. Great track position and a strong car that needed very few changes throughout the evening gave the team an advantage over the rest of the field. Stewart led the most laps in the race and resided in the top-three for nearly all of the 400 miles completed. In addition to the $1,000 check, the winning crew chief will receive signage to announce the win on their pit box the following week. The crew chief with the most weekly wins will be honored as the Wypall Wipers Crew Chief of the Year and will be presented a $20,000 check at the season finale in Homestead.(Wypall)

No. 14 crew win Tissot Pit Crew Award in Daytona: Tony Stewart's crew won the Tissot Pit Road Precision Award in Saturday night's Sprint Cup race at Daytona International Speedway. The fast pit stops by the #14 crew helped Stewart win the 160-lap, 400-mile race. Stewart's Chevy spent the least amount of time on pit road - 238.890 seconds. The No. 14 over-the-wall crew consists of: Jeff "Gooch" Patterson (gasman), Scott Radel (catch can), Rick Pigeon (jackman), Kelly Kellis (front tire changer), Todd Drakulich (front tire carrier), Daniel Smith (rear tire changer) and Mike "Shrek" Morneau (rear tire carrier). The team's crew chief is Darian Grubb and the pit crew coach is Joe Piette Jr. At the halfway point of the season (18 races completed), the crews for Jeff Gordon and Greg Biffle lead in the Tissot standings with three wins each. Stewart's and Jimmie Johnson's crews are tied for third with two wins each. The No. 14 team will collect $5,000 for the pit road win. The team with the most Tissot Pit Road Precision Award wins at the completion of the 36-race Sprint Cup schedule will receive a $100,000 bonus plus Tissot watches for the crew and driver.(Tissot)

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Don't be suprised if Tony Stewarts adds a third Cup team: Tony Stewart, who leads the points standings in his first year as an owner-driver, is considering adding a third team to his operation. On Friday Stewart told SceneDaily.com: "That's not something that I think five or six weeks ago that we would have felt comfortable saying but, I mean, I think right now we're in a position where I think we would be very open to listening to potential sponsors and opportunities to possibly grow." If we were talking about any owner other than Tony Stewart, I would suggest that such an idea was the result of the owner-driver having hit his head one too many times on the roll cage. But after witnessing the impressive performance of the newly formed Stewart-Haas Racing, a performance I didn't think was possible so soon, I'm reluctant to question the move to include a third team. (Las Vegas Sun)

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Stewart considering a third team? Tony Stewart says that his organization could expand to three cars for next year. If so, that might give Brad Keselowski a home in Cup. Keselowski, who is affiliated with Hendrick Motorsports while driving in the Nationwide series for JR Motorsports is looking for a Cup ride. There's no room at Hendrick with its four-car lineup filled with Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Yet, Stewart-Haas Racing receives chassis, engines and technical support from Hendrick. Stewart-Haas could be a good place for Hendrick to place Keselowski if he so chooses. Asked about a third car, Stewart said: "It's a possibility, I guess,'' Stewart said. (Virginian-Pilot)

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Stewart: Give Gene Haas credit for taking a gamble: Gene Haas was released from prison two weeks ago, and his first race at the track was Tony Stewart's victory in the All-Star race. "Everybody's given us all the credit for this," Stewart said. "And you really have got to give [Haas] credit for taking the gamble and taking the risk and having us come to be a part of this organization like that and trusting us to make some pretty big decisions and personnel changes. "That's not something that a lot of people in that position are willing to do and give up that kind of control to let a totally different group of guys come in and all of a sudden start changing things around." (Florida Times-Union)

Sunday, May 10, 2009

Gene Haas released from prison: Stewart-Haas Racing co-owner Gene Haas was released from prison Friday after serving about 16 months for tax fraud and has received permission from a U.S. District Court judge to attend NASCAR races while on supervised release. Haas’ projected release was Sunday, but the federal Bureau of Prisons’ Web site indicated that Haas was released Friday. Haas was sentenced to two years in prison in November 2007 and entered a Lompoc, Calif., federal correctional facility Jan. 14, 2008. He has asked the court, and received permission, to attend NASCAR races while on supervised release. The first race mentioned in the motion is the upcoming Sprint All-Star Race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. (SceneDaily.com)

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Brad Keselowski to Stewart-Haas in third car? Another option for Brad Keselowski would be Stewart-Haas, which has close ties to Hendrick, adding a third car that could go to either Keselowski or Martin. Another scenario could have Keselowski moving up to Cup with Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s team. Asked about such a move, Earnhardt said: "We would consider it, but we have to do what's right for the company and the business." (The Virginian- Pilot)

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Stewart had no interest building Cup team from scratch: Stewart was fortunate in the sense the team he now runs was already off the drawing board by the time he took over. Had he started from the ground up, he might already be mentioned in the same breath as those that came before — and failed. “I can’t honestly imagine building an organization from scratch,” Stewart said. “With this opportunity with Haas Automation, the opportunity we’ve had there, if we had to start from scratch, I don’t think we would have tried to take that kind of a task on. But, you know, we got an opportunity to come into an organization that already had pieces in place. It was just a matter of getting the right people in the right places. And I think that made it to where it was a realistic option for us. “But to start from scratch, I don’t think I would have tried to take that on.” (Anderson Independent-Mail)

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Stewart doesn't see himself at driver/owner: Tony Stewart is now a driver-owner in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, but he doesn't see it that way. Stewart, driver of the No. 14 Old Spice/Office Depot Chevrolet, acknowledges wearing two hats in his first year as an owner in the series. He's just not wearing them at the same time. "The only way it really works is to be a car owner four days a week and be a driver those three days we're at the race track," Stewart said Wednesday at Texas Motor Speedway's annual media day. "It's hard enough just being in the driver's role. That's part of having the right people in the right places." Stewart said owning a short track and World of Outlaws and USAC teams have helped prepare him for his new challenge. (Dallas Morning News)

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Newman in Haas Automation scheme: So, how does a Hoosier claim the California track as home? The answer lies in No. 39-Ryan Newman’s affiliation with newly formed Stewart-Haas Racing as the driver of the No. 39 Chevy. The team is co-owned by two time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart and Oxnard, Calif.-based Haas Automation, the largest CNC tool manufacturer in the western world. The company’s 1 million square-foot facility in Oxnard employs 1,200 people, and is the largest, most modern machine tool manufacturing operation in the United States. This weekend, Haas Automation will also adorn the hood of Newman’s black No. 39 Chevy. Newman, who has one pole and four top-10 finishes in 12 career Sprint Cup starts at Auto Club Speedway, including a 10th-place effort last February, is hoping to post a solid showing for his co-owner and sponsor in their own backyard.(Stewart-Haas Racing PR)

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Newman to back of the field for Daytona Duel: Ryan Newman's No. 39 U.S. Army Chevy suffered an engine malfunction in Wednesday's first practice session at Daytona International Speedway. The team was forced to change engines for the afternoon practice session, and under NASCAR rules, an engine change will require Newman to start Thursday's Gatorade Duel 150-mile qualifying race from the rear of the field. He was scheduled to start the second 150-miler from the outside pole. The engine change will not affect the Daytona 500 starting order. "Something broke in the engine," said Newman, the defending Daytona 500 champion. "I'm not really sure what. Obviously the horsepower has been great in qualifying and it felt strong out there. I was just coming up through the gears and getting up to speed and something let go. It's unfortunate. But these guys have another bullet they can bolt in and we'll be good to go."(Stewart Haas Racing PR)

Saturday, July 26, 2008

Three drivers on Stewart's wish list? Stewart said that Ryan Newman is just one of three drivers on his short list. Presumably, Martin Truex Jr. and Jamie McMurray are the other two. And Stewart is battling car owners Joe Gibbs and Richard Childress, who are both also looking for drivers. McMurray's future with car owner Jack Roush has been up for debate the past several weeks, and the speculation has become intense that Roush would be releasing McMurray. But apparently sponsor Crown Royal is pushing Roush to keep McMurray in the fold, and as tough as good sponsors are to find, that could well end that whole debate. McMurray has been mentioned as being on Childress' short list for his new fourth team. But Childress now appears to be back in the market trying to sign Truex. A Childress-Truex deal was in the works earlier this year, until Teresa Earnhardt, who owns DEI, said she would hold Truex to the option year on his current DEI contract for 2009.(Winston Salem Journal)

Friday, July 25, 2008

Office Depot and Old Spice to sponsor #14 Tony Stewart in 2009: Office Depot and Old Spice will serve as co-primary sponsors of Tony Stewart’s No. 14 Chevrolet Impala SS NASCAR Sprint Cup Series entry beginning in 2009. Officials from the two companies, as well as from Stewart-Haas Racing, made the announcement today near Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Office Depot, a leading global provider of office products and services, along with Old Spice, the No. 1 antiperspirant/deodorant stick and body wash choice for guys in the United States, have entered into multi-year agreements with Stewart-Haas Racing to sponsor the new entry driven by Stewart. In addition, both Office Depot and Old Spice are official NASCAR® partners, successfully leveraging their relationships with NASCAR and their race team sponsorships as powerful marketing platforms for their brands. “To have Office Depot and Old Spice throw their support behind me and this race team makes me extremely proud,” said Stewart, who announced on July 10 that he had acquired a 50 percent stake in what is now known as Stewart-Haas Racing. (Stewart-Haas Racing PR)

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Stewart's new # in 2009 #14? Haas CNC Racing general manager Joe Custer has applied for his team to trademark the #14, which is expected to be the number next season for Tony Stewart, who will co-own and drive for Stewart-Haas Racing beginning in 2009. The trademark application covers a variety of products – everything from paper goods to luggage, knives, air fresheners, video featuring racing themes and several other items. The application was filed July 2, according in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office database.(SceneDaily.com)

Thursday, July 10, 2008

Stewart to partner with Haas Racing in 2009; driver/owner at Stewart Haas Racing: Two-time Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart has set his NASCAR future, and it's as an owner and driver with Stewart-Haas Racing beginning in 2009. Stewart-Haas Racing is the new partnership between Stewart and Haas CNC Racing, with the revamped entity slated to run two cars full-time in the Sprint Cup Series. Haas CNC Racing operates out of a 140,000-square foot shop in Concord, N.C., and is owned by Oxnard, Calif.-based Haas Automation Inc. The company has been involved with motorsports since 1995 through various technical partnerships with teams in the IRL IndyCar Series and NASCAR, including Hendrick Motorsports, which will continue to provide chassis, engines and technical support to Stewart-Haas Racing. News regarding sponsors of Stewart-Haas Racing, as well as the complete driver lineup and corresponding car numbers for the two-car team, will be announced at a later date.(TrueSpeed Communication PR)

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