Photo Credit: Noel Lanier
In a move that sent shock waves throughout the Sprint Cup Series garage, Stewart Haas Racing announced today that they would be realigning manufacturers from Chevrolet to Ford starting with the 2017 Sprint Cup Series season.
Stewart Haas Racing with team co owner Gene Haas was founded in 2009 has enjoyed a magnitude of success in NASCAR’s top tier series only enjoyed by the sport’s heavyweight’s such as Hendrick Motorsports and Richard Childress Racing. Since 2009, SHR has amassed 30 wins and two Sprint Cup Series championships all under the Chevrolet banner.
So why the switch? Team co owner Gene Haas explained.
“Motorsports is an extremely challenging environment where in order to maintain success you have to constantly innovate. It’s true in NASCAR and it’s true in business,” Haas said. “We’ve enjoyed great success with Chevrolet, but this opportunity with Ford allows us to evolve while continuing to compete at the highest levels of the sport.”
“I am proud of our association with Chevrolet as they helped build our organization into the team it is today,” said Stewart. “This new partnership with Ford allows us to strengthen our position in the sport and ensure the long-term stability and success for everyone who is a part of Stewart-Haas Racing.”
Stewart Haas Racing will join Roush Fenway Racing,Team Penske,Wood Brothers Racing,Front Row Motorsports, and Richard Petty Motorsports as teams racing under the Ford banner starting next season.
“We are thrilled to be able to add a championship-level team like Stewart-Haas Racing to our Ford NASCAR program,” said Raj Nair, executive vice president and Chief Technical Officer, Ford Motor Company. “Tony Stewart and Gene Haas have the same passion for winning that we do, and bring a strong stable of drivers and personnel that fit into what we’re trying to do in the sport.”
“We have said very clearly that we are not in NASCAR just to race, but to win races and championships,” said Dave Pericak, global director, Ford Performance. “We believe the addition of Stewart-Haas Racing in 2017 will give our program a major boost in terms of being in contention for both drivers’ and manufacturers’ championships every year.
“We believe that our NASCAR engineering experience and tools match up very well with the expertise and personnel that Stewart-Haas Racing has in house right now, and that we will both benefit from this partnership going forward.”
Stewart Haas Racing will remain with Chevrolet throughout the remainder of the 2016 season.
