 |
| Busch To SHR In 2014 |
That signing – while technically not
official until a 2 pm ET announcement by the team tomorrow – sets up a
powerhouse lineup that includes a pair of former series champions in Busch and Tony
Stewart, a perennial title contender in Kevin Harvick and much-heralded sophomore
Danica Patrick.
It’s a match made in heaven. Or hell. We’ll just have to wait and see.
In Busch, Stewart and Harvick, SHR has
assembled three thoroughbred talents; elite drivers who have always been – and expect
to be – the lead driver in their operation’s respective lineup. There’s an old adage
that says, “If you’re not the lead dog, the view never changes,” and it will be
interesting to see how SHR handles three drivers who have grown accustomed to
that lead-dog view.
 |
| Busch and Harvick will talk more next year. |
While Stewart and Harvick are close
friends off the race track, neither man is thought to be especially close with
Busch. His hiring has already caused some awkward moments inside the walls at
SHR when Stewart declared, "We are not ready to expand to a fourth team,” just days before discovering
that his partner, Gene Haas, had already committed to doing so.
Those speed bumps will be smoothed over quickly, if they haven’t
been already, and history indicates that off-field closeness is not a
requirement for on-track success.
Former Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis made a career of melding a rogue’s
gallery of malcontents and rebels into winning, cohesive teams. The
Boston Red Sox experienced success in the 1980s despite a contentious clubhouse
lineup that inspired the phrase, “25 players, 25 cabs.”
They don’t have to like each
other, they just have to win.
On paper, the 2014 Stewart Haas Racing lineup
seems certain to do just that. Not all preseason
powerhouses experience success, however.
In 1987, team owner Rick Hendrick hired champion driver Darrell Waltrip and
teamed him with renowned crew chief Waddell Wilson to form what many called
NASCAR’s “Dream Team.” The tandem failed to mesh, however, with Waltrip going
winless through the first 12 races of the season before Wilson was replaced by
Jeff Hammond in one of the greatest disappointments in the sport’s modern era.
“Waddell Wilson was one of those things I felt strongly about,” said
Waltrip, years later. “When I got Waddell, I thought we could put together a
team that could be as dominant as anything anyone had ever seen. But the
‘Dream Team’ turned out to be a nightmare.”
"This is the kind of situation
every driver wants to be in and I'm grateful to Gene Haas and Haas Automation
for providing me this opportunity," said Busch to The Associated Press
today. "Gene wants to win, and wants me to go out there and perform to the
best of my abilities."
Hopefully, that will be enough.
I think it's a good show and the sponsors will agree!
ReplyDeleteI just wish Tony would make a statement about "not having a 4th car" and now there will be. Reading that people don't like Tony now because of letting Ryan go and keeping Danica. Many times in business the left hand has no clue what the right hand is thinking or doing. I think this is the case at SHR. Time will tell how this combo of drivers pans out.
ReplyDeleteDanica has a fully sponsored car.. and if Danica left so would GO Daddy, it is all about money, not talent
DeleteAgreed. Danica, at least for now and until the bloom is off the rose, is still a cash cow, er, babe.
DeleteActually according to several media reports, none of the "other 3" SHR teams are fully funded in 2014, and that includes Danica's #10.
DeleteI think Carol is spot-on, the left hand apparently doesn't know what the right hand is doing, and I think the Busch announcement indicates a growing split within the walls of SHR.
I think the sluggish start to 2013 may have caused more internal damage to SHR than many people realized.
I can see a request for Stewart to curb his Sprint Car racing in 2014 causing even more stress in the Stewart/Haas relationship.
@Anonymous...."it is all about money, not talent"....yep, that's why it's no longer a sport. The product nascar brings to the table sucks. Used to be that a good business was successful because of quality, not by the gimmicks it tried to sell.
DeleteI have been a fan of Tony Stewart since he came to Gibbs. I think he is one of the true racers left in our sport. I have always liked the fact that he answered questions honestly, and said what was on his mind. (even though I didn't always agree with what he said). After this 4th team deal,and Newman being lied to,I will NEVER root for Stewart again, and honestly wouldn't mind seeing all SHR cars crash on the 1st lap of every race next year!
ReplyDeleteStewart didn't lie. Newman seems to think they signed Busch without Stewarts consent.
DeleteBelieve that is exactly how it went.
DeleteIt is comments like all these that make me laugh. if you do not mind me adding my 2 cents. First off Stewart didn't lie to newman, he brought kevin harvick over to replace him because he had full sponsorship. newman has a part time sponsor that doesn't cover the entire 14 season. Gene was not willing to sponsor newman anymore he didnt get good results doing it this year. he decided to put his money on kurt which is a business decision and a smart one on top of that ill explain later to the kurt vs newman stat bs. if anyone really thinks that gene didnt get Tonys blessing is crazy, they have a partnership!
Deletepeople can try and say newman is better but they are mistaken, put him or any of your favorite drivers in the 51 and lets see how good they are! put them in the 78 car and lets see how good they are! you put kurt in the 48 with chad knaus we are talking 4-6 championships while jimmie woulda pulled a casey atwood driving the 51 car! Good recruiting Gene and Tony getting kurt and kevin. Go Outlaw #00 ???
There is at least one major flaw in your logic, kurtfan78. Harvick is nowhere NEAR fully sponsored for next season.
DeleteStewart did lie, Newman was told that there was not enough funding and sponsorship for a 4th team, Stewart told the media that in a press release and Newman backed it up the following weekend interview with Marty Smith on ESPN, Now all of a sudden they have magicly found the funding for a 4th team, and the sponsorship for a 4th team, now don't get me wrong, Kurt Busch is a hell of a driver, and Ryan Newman is a hell of a driver, but lie'ing to one friend and turning around and signing another friend, isn't exactly good business, Before long, Everybody you think are your friends are going to stop respecting you and trusting you, even your team mates.
ReplyDeleteWho said that Kurt and Tony are friends?
DeleteWhile Stewart gets all the press the fact is that Gene Haas is the principle owner and the money man. If he wants Kurt that is his right. I think it will be a disaster with 3 hot heads and a no talent cash cow. The media should send in an undercover operative to get all the real behind the scenes scoop of this train wreck!!!!!
DeleteI may be wrong but Haas is sponsoring kurt for the entire season... Newman according to him wasn't making any progress so why sponsor him? i mean .. its his money. He can put it wherever he wants.
DeleteHoly crap guys, can you not see that Gene Haas is the one who offered Busch the ride?
ReplyDeleteExactly, Dave said just that when word first got out. Like I said up above....left hand didn't know what the right was thinking or doing.
DeleteGene Haas made a very telling statement. He said that he wanted to see the Haas Automotive car in victory lane. Ryan never did that and I think THAT is why he wasn't offered a ride at SHR. He had Tony's friendship and support, but didn't have Gene's!
ReplyDeleteThey seem to have had a hard time getting full season sponsorship for Ryan over the last couple of years. If Ryan had a sponsor that wanted him in an SHR car he'd still be there!
Will Kurt be able to handle the extra pressure and the brighter spotlight without wigging out? He was in a place where he could be more comfortable, but as soon as the offer was made to go to SHR, I figured he'd be gone. Being comfortable isn't what a driver wanting to win needs.
ReplyDeleteStewart-Haas Racing????? only in public, behind closed doors it's Haas-Stewart Racing and Gen made this call
ReplyDeleteFinally someone gets it! You are so right! Many people don't know this but Gene Haas doesn't answer to anyone! Not even Tony. He owns one of the largest CNC manufacturing company in the world. The team may be called Stewart/Haas but make no mistake about it. Gene wants something, he gets it.
DeleteDoesn't matter if Gene did or not..Gene and Tony are partners right? I smell a PR spin to deflect blame from Tony. Tony besides his insane rants hasn't proved yet why people should trust him as businessman. We can start with his handling of a very decent man, Darian Grubb, work are way up to the not so likeable Ryan Newman and the story is yet to be written on Kurt. Given there is not a mature one in the new stable of SHR drivers I suspect without a nanny in sight and left to their own devices their childish ways will slither further down the slide of insane behavior!
ReplyDeleteWith all the egos on that team, SHR will go the way of the Robert Yates team in its later seasons. Glad Newman is getting away from there!
ReplyDeleteI have read and heard from people in the series garage that Haas still owns 51% and it was his decision to do this team and was willing to pay for it out of his pocket. They say, and not confirmed at all, that Haas wants his name to be in victory lane, his business. Who can say, the real truth will never come out as is it did it would look like they are fighting and then all the teams would fall.
ReplyDeleteGene sees a kindred spirit in Kurt, first off . Second, Kurt produces more in B tier equipment than Ryan does in A tier equipment. Haas was willing to spend on Kurt but not Ryan. I would doubt Tony knew much sooner than the rest of us...
ReplyDeleteagreed on that one....can hear Tony going WT****...lol
DeleteKurt Busch is 5 times the driver that Newman is.....I remember sitting at Martinsville,watching Newman wreck his own teamate[RW] with 3 to go.....hated him ever since.....Of course I'm a die-hard Rusty Wallace fan,who is slightly biased.
ReplyDeleteThe 39 ride was always a moneyball situation; sure Ryan has some good equipment but to say he has been playing on the same field as any of the Hendricks, Gibbs, Roush and some of the other rides (#2, and #29) is just silly.
ReplyDeleteKurt may be facing a similar prospect in the 00, and given the hype and expectations generated around this move I wonder how successful he’ll be—I think he will regret his decision to leave FRR.
Really?? How did Kurt do in his final couple of seasons with Penske? That's "A" tier equipment isn't it?
ReplyDeleteFrom where I'm setting Newman has been the most competitive SHR driver all season long.
If Stewart distains Cup racing as much as he claims he does, he simply should step aside and give Newman his ride, while Tony goes off and plays with open wheel cars as much as he likes.
SO much for Tony being a 'hands on' owner. Kurt should have gone to RCR who will probably sign Newman now. What a mess. But good for Kurt. He deserves a good ride for his efforts this year.
ReplyDeleteI think they should take Tony out of his car except for an occasional race, like Micheal Waltrip, give it to Kurt and stick to three teams. Tony should be a business owner first. To many people's livelihood is on the line. I think that's why Gene stepped in. He saw Tony screwing around with all his side ventures that wound up putting him in the hospital, and Gene stepped in to protect his millions of dollars worth of investment. Tony is still competitive, but let's face it, he's almost 40 years old. His time has passed. He's won three championships. Why be greedy? All he has to do is look at Gordon to see himself in a few years.
ReplyDeleteSo, I guess Tony's first words when he woke up from surgery was
ReplyDelete"GENE DID WHAT?!?!?!?!?!"
I'm not sure who knew what, but I have followed Kurt Busch since 2002. As a teammate he has been appreciated everywhere. He speaks "driver" apparently, and the information he brings back from the track has always been good, if you listen to those who were his teammates in the past. I have never heard of a brush with a teammate, but I would be glad to listen if someone has info to the contrary. This situation will be fine if they can get all three cars on a high performance level. I can see a parade of crew chiefs if they don't. Wll of these guys want to run up front. As for Danica, wh knows? She might be having babies this time next year.
ReplyDelete