Where Do We Start with Darlington?
The Darlington race brought a surprising victory as Chase Briscoe took first place, echoing the unexpected win by Harrison Burton at Daytona. Notably, this marked the second consecutive time that Kyle Busch finished in second place, missing out on the playoffs this time around. Meanwhile, Tyler Reddick was crowned the regular season champion, but those are just some of the key moments.
Following his win at the Cook Out Southern 500, it was announced that Chase Briscoe would be moving to Joe Gibbs Racing for the next season. This decision comes after Stewart-Haas Racing’s split, with Tony Stewart transitioning to the NHRA and Gene Haas continuing with a reduced number of charters. With the No. 14 SHR Ford now heading into the playoffs, co-owner of 23XI Racing, Denny Hamlin, discussed which charter the team decided to keep. As we know, making it into the playoffs can mean a significant financial boost, so let’s dive into what Hamlin had to say about the Darlington race.
Denny Hamlin’s Thoughts on the SHR Charter
Denny Hamlin experienced mixed emotions at Darlington as his 23XI Racing driver was named the regular season champion. With the Cup Series title still undecided, Chase Briscoe secured the last playoff spot with his race win. Since joining SHR in 2021, Briscoe has driven the No. 14 car. Now that this charter has made it into the playoffs, questions arose on Hamlin’s podcast, Actions Detrimental, about whether SHR decided to retain the No. 14 charter or had already made their choice on which car to keep.
Hamlin commented on the inconsistent performance of the No. 14 car, noting, “The 14 car, you know, at some racetracks, they were really off the pace.” He elaborated, explaining that some SHR cars struggled at times during races but managed to finish reasonably well.
Regarding Briscoe’s potential in the playoffs, Hamlin acknowledged his strength on road courses, saying, “I think the track suits Chase well. He’s good on road courses, and we’ve got a couple of those in the playoffs.” Hamlin speculated that Briscoe could make it to the Round of Eight, though advancing further might be challenging. He emphasized the unpredictable nature of the sport by asking, “Who’s to say how this will turn out?”
One of the podcast co-hosts asked if Haas could still choose to keep the No. 14 charter or if that decision had been locked in when the team chose to sell. Hamlin guessed that the decision was likely made at the time of sale, meaning Haas had already designated which charters to keep and sell, likely holding onto the No. 14 for its financial benefits.
Changes Ahead for Stewart-Haas Racing Drivers in 2025
As of now, three of the four SHR drivers have secured seats in the Cup Series for 2025. Josh Berry is moving to Wood Brothers Racing, Noah Gragson to Front Row Motorsports, and Darlington winner Chase Briscoe will join Joe Gibbs Racing. However, Ryan Preece is still searching for a new team with no updates yet on his future. While the drivers are finding new homes, the situation with the charters remains in flux.
Several teams are looking to expand in the Cup Series, including Front Row Motorsports, which has officially announced its intention to do so. 23XI Racing, co-owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan and Denny Hamlin, is also interested in adding another car to their lineup. Trackhouse Racing, with three charters and Shane van Gisbergen joining the team, has also expressed a desire to grow.
Given the circumstances, do you think the Haas Factory team made the right move by keeping the No. 14 car? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
