Stewart-Haas Racing finally broke through at Martinsville Speedway as the team showed significant speed but questions still linger about the 2024 NASCAR season and beyond due to Kevin Harvick’s upcoming retirement.
However, there is one name that makes a lot of sense out of the group of possible replacements.
Stewart-Haas Racing should go all-in on the development of this NASCAR Xfinity Series driver
Stewart-Haas Racing looked to be in an ideal spot to claim its first victory of the 2023 NASCAR season; however, a mistake by Ryan Preece and different strategies ended the possibility as only Chase Briscoe secured a top-5 finish.
Still, the organization showed the speed that it had been lacking to start the season so that is a good sign. Stewart-Haas Racing might be on the rise again if the performances displayed at Martinsville Speedway translate moving forward.
With the on-track performance possibly on the rise, it is important to circle back to the murky future of the organization. Harvick will be retiring as Aric Almirola will also hang it up sooner rather than later.
One name that makes sense to replace either Harvick or Almirola is NASCAR Xfinity Series driver Riley Herbst. The rising Xfinity Series talent drives for Stewart-Haas Racing in the No. 98 car and has been making serious strides to start the year.
Herbst sits fourth in the point standings and has six top-10 finishes through eight races. The 24-year-old driver’s only finishes outside of the top-10 spots came in the last two races due to unfortunate crashes that ruined his day.
With sponsorship from Monster Energy, Herbst would be a brilliant fit for the organization’s NASCAR Cup Series program. Stewart-Haas Racing might lose two major sponsors with Busch Light and Smithfield Foods possibly leaving once Harvick and Almirola officially retire.
Herbst would be a good option since he brings a major sponsor and has shown flashes that he could be a decent driver in the Cup Series after some development. The Xfinity Series driver only has one start in the Cup Series and it was a 10th-place finish in the 2023 Daytona 500.
The Las Vegas native will make his second Cup Seris start for Rick Ware Racing in the No. 15 car as NASCAR heads to Talladega Superspeedway this weekend. Herbst will look to improve on his 10th-place finish at Daytona and make some more noise.
Herbst does not have a win in NASCAR’s top three levels but it is coming soon. It would be very hard for him to feature that amount of speed and consistency on a weekly basis only to come up short for a second straight year.
There is plenty of success in Herbst’s future and Stewart-Haas Racing should feel inclined to give him an opportunity in the Cup Series. It might take some time but Herbst could become a good driver that is backed by sponsorship that Stewart-Haas Racing might desperately need.
If not Herbst, there are a few other options that could make sense for the organization. Continue reading to learn about three more candidates that would help Stewart-Haas Racing in the Cup Series beyond 2023!
Related: F1 champion discusses idea Stewart-Haas Racing as Kevin Harvick’s replacement
3 ideal drivers for Stewart-Haas Racing to sign for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season
There are several really solid candidates for Stewart-Haas Racing to hire for the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season and beyond. The first one is a really talented driver that simply needs a shot with good equipment.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. reminded the sport that he is still a very talented driver after winning the 2023 Daytona 500. Stenhouse Jr., 35, drives the No. 47 car for JTG Daugherty Racing and has a multi-year contract but it has been known that drivers can be bought out.
The 35-year-old driver has one win, two top-5 finishes, and four top-10 finishes through nine races during the 2023 season and is showing NASCAR why he deserves a shot in better equipment. Stewart-Haas Racing could be that team and it would be a great partnership.
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 24th in the point standings above the likes of Erik Jones, A.J. Allmendinger, 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.