Harvick accuses Ford of wanting SHR to lose: “They want their cars to win”

Kevin Harvick has accused Ford of undermining Stewart-Haas Racing to favor its other teams, claiming that Ford prefers its cars to win over SHR’s. Harvick, a major figure at SHR during its NASCAR Cup Series career, offered this opinion following his departure after the 2023 season and amid SHR’s poor showing in 2024.

The 2024 season has been a tough one for SHR, with Chase Briscoe taking over the lead driver role following Harvick’s departure. However, Briscoe did score a vital win at Darlington, securing a playoff spot and providing a major morale boost to a team that needed it.

Despite this achievement, SHR announced it would be shutting down operations at the end of the season, marking a premature end to its competitive journey.

On his show, “Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour,” Harvick showed his excitement for Briscoe’s win, specifically praising SHR Director of Competition Greg Zipadelli.

“I heard an interview with (SHR racing director) Greg Zipadelli, and I think he deserves a lot of credit. I think he’s been through a lot of really tough, awkward, difficult times, not only with the team, but with Tony Stewart over the years, and those guys always find a way to fight back and get in position,” Harvick noted. Reflecting on SHR’s strength, he added:

“I mean, I was a part of this for a number of years. It was always, it was never, ‘This is the end,’ it was, ‘Well, we have to move on. We have to figure it out. ‘ Those guys fight to the very end of a company.”

Harvick also discussed the future of SHR and the changes it would face after the shutdown, with just one Cup car and a pair of Xfinity cars remaining from the once-dominant team.

“Even though the Haas factory team is going to have a Cup car and a couple of Xfinity cars, it’s not the same. Tony Stewart isn’t there… He’s in a great position, as a person, and I think when you look at everything that company has accomplished… they figured out how to put a car in the playoffs, and I don’t think anybody expected any of those cars to be anywhere near the playoffs.

“Last night I thought, ‘My God, this place is going to get a car into the playoffs.'”

In a controversial statement, Harvick claimed that Ford’s motivations could be working against SHR’s success.

“Ultimately, Ford doesn’t want them to win more, I don’t think. They don’t want them to beat their cars that will be there next year. I think they want their cars that will be there next year to beat the Stewart-Haas car.

“But that’s not going to stop the enthusiasm that the people, those employees and those cars transmit, because they have shown it throughout the year. Simply a lot of determination and courage from many great drivers.”

Chase Briscoe’s recent success has significantly increased SHR’s playoff chances.

“If Chase Briscoe heats up with the full power of what’s left at Stewart-Haas Racing behind him, the sky could be the limit, even if Ford may be selling them on the cheap.”