WATCH: Tony Stewart’s SHR get water salute at the airport after returning from Phoenix

With the conclusion of the 2024 season, Stewart-Haas Racing has officially ceased its operations in the sport. The Concord Fire Department honored the team through a water salute as its plane returned to North Carolina for the final time.

Founded in 2009, Stewart-Haas Racing was formed after Tony Stewart left Joe Gibbs Racing and joined the team with co-owner Gene Haas. Stewart handed the Kannapolis, North Carolina-based outfit its first championship in 2011 before Kevin Harvick added another title in 2014.

However, Tony Stewart left the team at the end of the 2024 season for several reasons, including shifting his focus to the NHRA (National Hot Rod Association).

Stewart-Haas Racing took to X (formerly Twitter) and shared the water salute moment as the team plane recorded its final flight after the Championship 4 race at Phoenix Raceway,

“Final flight. Thank you to the Concord Fire Department for welcoming us back from Phoenix with an incredible send-off,” SHR wrote on X.

For the 2025 season, Stewart-Haas Racing is rebranded as Haas Factory Team, with its Cup entry list cut from four to one charter. Cole Custer, the 2023 Xfinity Series champion, will drive the sole No. 41 Ford Mustang entry. He also won one race with SHR in the premier season at Kentucky Speedway in 2020.

Speaking of race wins, Stewart-Haas Racing won 70 races in the Cup Series led by Kevin Harvick with 37 victories. He was trailed by Tony Stewart with 16 race wins. Other SHR race winners include Kurt Busch, Ryan Newman, Aric Almirola, Clint Bowyer, Cole Custer, and most recently, Chase Briscoe.

Chase Briscoe won the 2024 Cook Out Southern 500 to punch his ticket to the playoffs - Source: Imagn

Briscoe is heading to Joe Gibbs Racing next year. Meanwhile, now-ex-teammates Noah Gragson and Josh Berry will drive Front Row Motorsports and Wood Brothers Racing, respectively.

As for Ryan Preece, the driver has yet to announce his 2025 plans, though he is expected to sign with RFK Racing.

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Riley Herbst shared emotional environment in SHR shop after win at Phoenix

Riley Herbst, the now-ex-No. 98 Stewart-Haas Racing Xfinity driver, talked about the team following his win in the championship race at Phoenix. Herbst said he was proud of the guys in the shop who were emotional as the team ran its final race in NASCAR.

Per PRN Live, the Las Vegas native stated:

"I'm so proud of all these guys, everybody at SHR. It was a really, really tough week. We had a lot of emotional people at the shop. This place has been home for me for four years. It's been a hell of a run."

Herbst won the season finale at Phoenix Raceway ahead of Justin Allgaier who won the 2024 Xfinity Series championship title.

With SHR’s departure from the sport, Riley Herbst was left without a seat for 2025. Although, the driver is rumored to sign as the third driver at 23XI amid the team’s ongoing lawsuit fight against NASCAR.

The rebranded Haas Factory Team will retain two charters in the second-tier series with Sheldon Creed and Sam Mayer.