Stewart-Haas Racing settles lawsuit with Danica Patrick’s former sponsor

Stewart-Haas Racing and Nature’s Bakery have agreed to settle a $31 million lawsuit the NASCAR team filed against the snack food company that had been Danica Patrick’s primary sponsor.

Nature’s Bakery will serve as primary sponsor for Patrick and teammate Clint Bowyer in four races this season (two races for each driver), SHR announced Friday. The sponsorship is part of the settlement agreement between both parties and ends the litigation.

SHR, co-owned by retired driver Tony Stewart and Gene Haas, filed a breach of contract lawsuit against Nature’s Bakery in February after the Nevada-based company severed in January its three-year contract with SHR with two years remaining on the deal. The team had been seeking $31.7 million for monies owed for the 2017 and 2018 seasons, plus interest.

In a countersuit later filed, Nature’s Bakery alleged SHR “could not control” Patrick from endorsing competing products and lied to the company about the popularity of NASCAR, which is experiencing a decrease in television ratings and attendance.

“It’s gratifying to see a difficult situation get resolved in a professional manner that suits all parties,” Stewart-Haas Racing president Brett Frood said. “Together, we worked diligently to find an equitable solution to our collective challenges.”