Kurt Busch and Stewart-Haas Racing have agreed on a contract that will see the 2017 Daytona 500 winner continue driving the No. 41 Ford through the 2018 NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series season.
Kurt Busch re-signs with Stewart-Haas Racing
The former Cup Series champion agreed to a one-year extension that will keep him with Stewart-Haas Racing for the 2018 season.
Both Busch and SHR confirmed the news via separate Twitter posts on Tuesday, with an official announcement expected sometime this week. The deal is for one year, industry sources told SB Nation.
“Having my hard work pay off by winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup and the 2017 Daytona 500 has given me the drive to continue conquering the NASCAR world,” Busch said. “I am excited to enter the 2018 racing season as a Monster Energy athlete where I will continue to drive for my favorite manufacturer, the Ford Motor Company.
”Knowing that SHR is committed to optimum performance, I believe that I have everything I need to win races this season and take home the 2018 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup. I look forward to taking on next year with my team, sponsors and determination.”
Busch became a free agent when SHR declined to renew Busch’s contract by an Aug. 1 deadline, though SHR co-owners Tony Stewart and Gene Haas publicly maintained they wanted to have the 2004 Cup champion remain with the organization. During negotiations Busch, 39, explored opportunities elsewhere but said throughout his first choice was to continue with SHR.
SHR not picking up the option in Busch’s contract and was brought about by the uncertainty of whether Monster Energy would continue as Busch’s anchor sponsor. The energy drink company became the entitlement sponsor of the Cup Series in 2017 and is deciding whether to exercise a two-year option that would take the deal through the 2020 season.
“I know that (Monster Energy) is working to try to sort out their issues with NASCAR and the entitlement sponsor, so there’s a lot of moving parts,” Busch said June 29. “But I don’t feel any fear whatsoever. I actually feel really confident on the sponsorship that I bring.”
Neither Monster nor SHR have announced if their partnership will continue into 2018, though Monster is expected to its association with Busch’s No. 41 team in some facet, industry sources told SB Nation.
Busch joined SHR in 2014, and during his tenure with the team scored five wins, 31 top-five finishes, 68 top-10 finishes, and earned a playoff berth all four years. His biggest victory with SHR occurred when he won the Daytona 500, NASCAR’s signature race, in February.
In addition to Busch’s team, SHR also fields cars for Aric Almirola, Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer. Almirola joins SHR for the 2018 season, replacing Danica Patrick, who drove for the team from 2012 to 2017 but is scaling back to a part-time schedule next season.
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