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Stewart-Haas Racing Shutting Down at Season’s End

HOMESTEAD, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 22: NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart looks on from the grid prior to the NASCAR Xfinity Series Contender Boats 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on October 22, 2022 in Homestead, Florida. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)

Joshua Lipowski

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Royal T Grafix

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What’s Happening

The day that many expected but few yearned for has come. Stewart-Haas Racing has announced through a joint-statement from co-owners Tony Stewart and Gene Haas that the team is shutting down at the end of the season. The statement can be read in full below.

  • Stewart-Haas Racing has reportedly been in trouble for a while now. Multiple reports have indicated that SHR’s contract with Ford ends at the conclusion of 2024, and no plans were made to renew it. That, combined with SHR’s recent dip in performance (Winless since 2022), made many question the organization’s future.
  • Bob Pockrass reports that SHR’s charters are rumored to be heading to Front Row, Trackhouse, and 23XI (one each), with the fourth charter still unclaimed. This comes amidst a Jordan Bianchi report that NASCAR could limit teams to 3 cars per team beginning in 2025.
  • Fans are sad at the announcement that SHR is leaving the sport entirely. Many were fans of SHR specifically, and, now, the team is no more.

Where Do the CHarters Go?

Bob Poockrass reports that three of the charters be sold to 3 different teams, with Trackhouse, Front Row Motorsports, and 23XI Racing all buying one each. The fourth charter is up for grabs, and Legacy Motor Club, RFK Racing, and JTG-Daugherty Racing are all interested in expanding, even if this may not be the charter they purchase according to Pockrass.

Why would teams like Front Row, 23XI, and Trackhouse not buy two charters? Jordan Bianchi reported last week that NASCAR is considering dropping the number of cars a team can own from four cars to three.

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That means only one charter would cause 23XI Racing, Front Row Motorsports, and Trackhouse to reach NASCAR’s potential new limit. It’s unclear at the moment what each team will do with their new charters, but, there are some possible theories.

23XI Racing might open a third car for a hot Toyota prospect like Corey Heim or Chandler Smith. Front Row Motorsports now has two open seats, and they’re an easy candidate to land two of SHR’s 4 free agents. Trackhouse needs an extra seat to bring in Zane Smith, so, this could fix that problem.

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However, we do not know any of this for certain yet.

What Does This Mean for the Drivers?

This means all four SHR drivers will be free agents at the end of the season. Where they all go is a mystery, but, there are plenty of open seats for them.

Front Row Motorsports is one likely landing spot. They’re a tier-one Ford team, and if Ford wants to keep these drivers, Front Row could be an ideal place for them to land.

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The Wood Brothers is another place for SHR drivers to look at with Harrison Burton’s uncertain future. They are also a Ford team aligned with Team Penske, but The Wood Brothers is not a “Tier One” team. Either way, this could be another good landing spot for SHR drivers.

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That’s only three seats, however, and that means at least one Cup Series driver is left to look elsewhere plus Cole Custer and Riley Herbst in the Xfinity Series. They may have to wait until Silly Season further develops.

What do you think? Stay tuned right here to the Daily Downforce for more on this and everything else going on in the NASCAR world.

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DARLINGTON, SOUTH CAROLINA - APRIL 06: Kyle Larson, driver of the #5 HendrickCars.com Chevrolet, drives during the NASCAR Cup Series Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway on April 06, 2025 in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

Lionel Racing Reveals First Wave of 2026 NASCAR Authentics Diecast

by Kauy Ostlien

What’s Happening?

Lionel Racing finally confirmed the first wave of 2026 NASCAR Authentics 1:64 scale diecast for Monday morning, with the line of retail-exclusive diecast featuring a new look for the new year.

  • This line will include six throwback paint schemes from NASCAR’s 2025 throwback weekend at Darlington Raceway. Though they did not release one in 2025, this move restarts an annual tradition of Lionel releasing at least one wave of cars carrying the colors of that prior season’s throwback designs.
  • Included in this wave of cars are Austin Cindric, Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, William Byron, and Sammy Smith. Alongside these paint schemes’ debuts in the Authentics line is a new design for the packaging of the 2026 line of NASCAR Authentics.
  • Last season was somewhat turbulent for Lionel as, alongside issues with tariffs, the brand only released three waves of NASCAR Autentics, one wave of NASCAR Autentics Winners Circle diecast, and two waves of Haulers.
  • Lionel announcing the first wave of 2026 early on in the new year is perhaps a sign that 2026 could return this line to its regular release schedule. The post from Lionel Racing also confirmed that the brand will announce another wave by the end of the week, further hinting at a recommitment to the Authentics line.

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SPARTA, KY - JUNE 26: Chase Pistone, driver of the #9 NTS Motorsports Chevrolet, talks with his crew during practice for the NASCAR Camping World Series UNOH 225 at Kentucky Speedway on June 26, 2014 in Sparta, Kentucky. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

Chase Pistone, NASCAR Trucks and Nationwide Series Driver, Passes Away

by Kauy Ostlien

What’s Happening?

Chase Pistone, a former competitor on the short track racing circuit in addition to NASCAR’s National Series, has passed away. Pistone, now a successful Legends Car owner, was 42.

  • Chase’s brothers Nick and Tom Pistone confirmed the North Carolina natives’ passing to LegendsNation.com. The cause of Pistone’s passing is unknown. The family asked that media share the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline number, which is 988.
  • Pistone, the grandson of NASCAR legend “Tiger” Tom Pistone, made his way to NASCAR after competing on short tracks in Legends cars and Late Models. He would make his jump to NASCAR via the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series in 2005, racing for Green Light Racing at Martinsville Speedway.
  • Pistone would continue his NASCAR pursuits in 2006, racing in ARCA and the NASCAR Busch Series. Unfortunately, these two starts, at Martinsville with the Busch Series and Iowa with ARCA, would be his last for nearly a decade.
  • Pistone returned to NASCAR in 2014, racing in a combined eight NASCAR Camping World Truck and Nationwide Series races. During this season, his final in NASCAR, the then 30-year-old scored his best National Series finish, ninth place in the Truck Series annual trip to Gateway.

What do you think about this? Let us know your opinion on Discord or X. Don’t forget that you can also follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

8 Takeaways From NASCAR At COTA

by Bryan Aguiar

Three races in, the 2026 season is finally starting to show its hand. COTA shifted narratives, exposed weaknesses, and raised new questions about contenders, pretenders, and everything in between.

  • Has Shane van Gisbergen officially been proven mortal after getting outraced late at Circuit of the Americas?
  • Is 19-year-old Connor Zilisch already ahead of schedule after slicing through the field multiple times?
  • With three straight wins, is Tyler Reddick basically a lock for the postseason this early?
  • And how concerned should the 48 team be after a rough weekend for Alex Bowman?

From substitute drivers being forced into action to points gaps growing faster than expected, COTA delivered more than just a road course chess match. There were momentum swings, reputation hits, and at least one young driver stacking up enemies before stacking up results.

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