"RIP SHR, you'll be missed" - NASCAR fans react as Tony Stewart's final playoff chance slips away with Chase Briscoe's Charlotte heartbreak

Stewart-Haas Racing's (SHR) championship chances in their final year ended at Sunday's Bank of America ROVAL 400 at the Charlotte Roval following Chase Briscoe's premature exit midway through stage two. The poor result triggered quite a few disheartened comments from fans on social media.

The driver of the #14 SHR Ford suffered a flat tire amid the second stage of Sunday's 109-lap event. This year's Darlington winner came to pit road and his crew lifted the hood to try and repair steering issues. However, the damage was already done and the Indiana native was forced out of the race as he settled for a 37th-place finish.

The result forced the two-time Cup Series winner out of the playoffs after the Round of 12. Chase Briscoe was the sole SHR driver who made the postseason cut after winning the regular season finale at Darlington. Earlier this year, Tony Stewart, the co-owner of SHR with Gene Haas, announced that the team was shutting down at the end of the 2024 season after 16 years of operation.

Therefore, Briscoe was SHR's last hope to win its third Cup Series championship. The result sparked disappointment from fans on X, with one paying tribute to the veteran team by writing:

"Rip SHR you'll be missed."

The post was in response to NASCAR on FOX reporter Bob Pockrass reporting that Briscoe was out of the race. Other users expressed their sadness in SHR's championship bid coming to a close under the insider's post, with one writing:

"😔 the dream of a one last SHR championship."

"That's it. Thanks for everything SHR," another user wrote.

While many comments were paying respects to the SHR organization, some took the opportunity to poke fun at Briscoe, with one writing:

"Its Briscover."

"Oh brisjoke choked," wrote another.

Chase Briscoe said it "stings" to be out of the playoffs in post-race interview

It was a valiant playoff effort from Chase Briscoe but the soon-to-be driver of the #19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota failed to advance to the next round. After the race, Briscoe told Wendy Venturini of the Performance Racing Network that his postseason run kept SHR in high spirits as they had something to look forward to in their final year.

"It stings. Not even for myself, all the employees at [Stewart Haas Racing]," Briscoe said (via PRN on X). "Hate that it's coming to an end. I know what that means. We're not racing for a championship and that was keeping a lot of people in the building."

Fortunately for Chase Briscoe and his SHR teammates Josh Berry and Noah Gragson, they've found rides for next season. Briscoe will take over the #19 JGR car after Martin Truex Jr. retires after this season. Berry will pilot the #21 Wood Brother's Racing Ford while Gragson will wheel the #34 Front Row Motorsports Ford.

Briscoe has spent the last four seasons with SHR. He won two races, with the first coming at Phoenix in 2022 and the other at Darlington this year, while making playoff appearances in both seasons.