Stewart-Haas Racing finds itself in a tough situation with Kevin Harvick retiring at the end of the 2023 NASCAR season, Aric Almirola retiring sooner rather than later, and Ryan Preece on a one-year contract.
Who should the organization pair up with Chase Briscoe on a long-term contract? There is at least one name that makes a lot of sense.
Stewart-Haas Racing should pursue this rising talent in the NASCAR Xfinity Series
The NASCAR Xfinity Series has its fair share of talent and after a drain at the top due to Ty Gibbs, Noah Gragson, and A.J. Allmendinger entering the NASCAR Cup Series, this year is an opportunity for drivers to make a name for themselves.
Chandler Smith and Sammy Smith have already done so by winning an Xfinity Series race in their rookie seasons in the first seven races of the season. Meanwhile, Austin Hill has jumped out to a three-win campaign after victories at Daytona, Las Vegas, and Atlanta.
There is plenty of talent in the Xfinity Series; however, one driver is showing up on Sunday as well. Josh Berry, a driver for JR Motorsports in the Xfinity Series, has been substituting for Chase Elliott in the No. 9 car for Hendrick Motorsports while he recovers from his leg injury.
Most notably, Berry piloted the No. 9 car to a second-place finish at Richmond Raceway behind teammate Kyle Larson that caused several people within Hendrick Motorsports to say that he has a future in the Cup Series moving forward.
Stewart-Haas Racing should pursue the driver of the No. 8 Xfinity car for JR Motorsports. Berry is 32 years old but he has run well in the Xfinity Series the last two seasons and has been solid in his replacement races for Elliott considering the circumstances.
Plus, Dale Earnhardt Jr., co-owner of JR Motorsports, said he would not bring Berry into the fold if the organization made the jump to the NASCAR Cup Series. Earnhardt said this because the Tennessee-born driver is ready to compete while the organization would begin a new journey.
There might be other teams that heavily pursue Berry; however, none of them might be able to give him an opportunity like Stewart-Haas Racing. It would make lots of sense for both sides if the deal were to happen.
If not Berry, who are some other drivers that could replace Harvick or anyone else in the Stewart-Haas Racing camp if they were not retained? Continue reading below to find out!
Related: Stewart-Haas Racing linked to Daytona 500 champion in NASCAR silly season
3 ideal candidates for Stewart-Haas Racing to hire in the NASCAR Cup Series
There are several really solid candidates for Stewart-Haas Racing to hire for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season and beyond. The first one actually runs for the organization in the NASCAR Xfinity Series right now.
Riley Herbst would have been a surprising name to hear just a few months ago; however, the driver of the No. 98 car has really shown that he can be a quality driver in NASCAR overall. Herbst, 24, currently sits second in the point standings with six top-10 finishes through seven races.
The 24-year-old driver has Monster Energy so it would allow Stewart-Haas Racing to grab a driver with sponsorship and talent. Herbst should be near the top of the list and if he has a breakout season, this will be an easy decision.
Zane Smith is a hot commodity for Ford and he will have a full-time ride in the Cup Series very soon. Smith, 23, is the defending NASCAR Truck Series champion and currently has two wins during the 2023 season.
The 23-year-old driver would be a perfect driver for Front Row Motorsports; however, his talent and potential should allow him to join a more competitive organization. Smith would be another good fit which leads us to the boldest candidate yet.
Todd Gilliland currently drives the No. 38 car for Front Row Motorsports in the Cup Series and he would be a brilliant option for Stewart-Haas Racing. Gilliland, 22, sits 23rd in the point standings above the likes of Erik Jones, Austin Dillon, and more.
The 22-year-old driver should be looking to move out of Front Row Motorsports and to be a better team starting next year. The idea of joining an organization with a winning culture could make Gilliland flourish.
Stewart-Haas Racing will have plenty of decisions to make for the 2024 season with Harvick leaving for the FOX Sports booth. Thankfully for them, the No. 4 car should be a very popular ride in silly season.