Stewart Haas Racing Adds Familiar Faces Amid Team Transition

The four-car lineup at Stewart Haas Racing won’t look vastly different this season, but there is a slew of changes that are flowing throughout the organization. Three of their drivers from last season are returning, but two of them could be entering their final full-time seasons.

Kevin Harvick is back for his 23rd season in the Cup Series, and his tenth consecutive year in the No. 4 car. The 2014 champion finally returned to victory lane last season, on back-to-back weekends no less. Unfortunately, his playoff run was cut short with a gaff on the team’s final pit stop at Bristol.

Harvick is now 47 years old and is in the final year of his current contract with SHR. Rumors have swirled in recent months that this will indeed be his final full-time season in the sport. The 2007 Daytona 500 winner remains as the longest tenured veteran in the garage area, and a vital asset to this team.

Aric Almirola had originally planned to retire after last season but as the year moved along, sponsors were urging him to reconsider. While his resume doesn’t include any marquee wins or championships, the 38-year old has been a solid and consistent force for the organization.

Almirola has just three wins in his 417 career starts, but his ability to set up their cars is one of his greatest strengths. With a mechanical engineering degree in hand, Almirola has proven to be a major help with the team’s qualifying performance. He will pilot the No. 10 Mustang again this season, which could also be his last.

Chase Briscoe emerged as a breakout candidate last season, scoring his first victory early in the year at Phoenix. He went on to earn six top-five finishes and 13 top-tens, as well as his first career pole. He led 298 laps during the season and made it all the way through the Round of 8 before he was eliminated.

While he may not have set the world on fire with his performances, it was a solid sophomore season for young Briscoe. He will aim to build on that this year, with the organization counting on him to be more consistent in 2023. Depending on which driver(s) are replaced at SHR after this season, Briscoe could be the face of this team going forward.

The one change that was made over the offseason was somewhat unexpected. The team hired Ryan Preece to replace Cole Custer in the No. 41 Ford. Custer’s tenure at SHR did not go well, as he entered with high expectations. He had just one win in 111 starts, and only one other top-five (5th at Indianapolis) finish. It was time to move on.

The team believes that Preece can do more with this ride. After three subpar seasons at JTG Daugherty Racing, Preece landed a reserve driver role with the team last year. His impactful presence and his patience paid off in a big way. The opportunity is there, and it will be up to him as to how well it all plays out.

Today the team announced that a familiar face will be serving as Ryan’s crew chief this year. Chad Johnston brings a wealth of knowledge to the 41 team, as he was the crew chief for Stewart for two seasons. Johnston went to Chip Ganassi Racing in 2016 and won five races with Kyle Larson. His most recent win was with Preece in 2021 during the Truck Series race at Nashville Superspeedway.

Rodney Childers (Harvick), John Klausmeier (Briscoe), and Drew Blickensderfer (Almirola) will all return as crew chiefs on the other three cars. Jonathan Toney has been promoted to crew chief of the team's new No. 00 Xfinity team with Custer.