Watch: Tony Stewart’s venture showcases ‘some trophies’ from their arsenal with their departed driver’s triumph reigning supreme

Stewart-Haas Racing has won 70 races with eight different drivers since Tony Stewart and Gene Haas joined forces in 2009. However, Stewart's Cup Series team is nearing its exit from NASCAR. In May, Stewart-Haas Racing announced that the North Carolina-based outfit would shut its operations at the Cup level at the end of this year.

In a recent video uploaded on X (formerly known as Twitter), Stewart-Haas Racing weighed the trophies at their facility in Kannapolis, North Carolina. The heaviest of them was the one that Aric Almirola lifted after winning the 1000Bulbs.com 500 at Talladega in 2018. The Vulcan trophy depicts the Roman god of fire and forge and weighs a staggering 127.3 lbs.

Aric Almirola announced in October 2023 that he would not return behind the wheel of the No. 10 Mustang in 2024. Stewart-Haas Racing appointed former Legacy Motor Club driver, Noah Gragson, to pilot Almirola's ride.

"I have won some races, so I’m proud of that, and we’ve had a lot of success, but I think at the end of the day that’s temporary," Almirola said in an interview from last year. "The friendships that I’ve made. The relationships that I’ve made, all of that will last forever, and I’m grateful for that. I really am."

Following his six-year stint with Tony Stewart's organization, Almirola joined Joe Gibbs Racing's Xfinity lineup part-time. Per reports, the 40-year-old driver is slated to run about 15 to 16 races in 2024.

Tony Stewart's team could suffer major financial blow ahead of impending NASCAR exit

Stewart-Haas Racing put three of four charters up for sale, shortly after announcing their exit. Front Row Motorsports, 23XI Racing, and Trackhouse Racing were supposed to acquire one charter each, and thus expand to three-car teams. Gene Haas would retain the fourth charter and form a new organization: the Haas Factory Team.

However, Front Row Motorsports and 23XI Racing did not sign NASCAR's new charter agreement that starts January 1, 2025, as they felt denied the "opportunity to fairly bargain for a new Charter contract." The teams pressed an anti-trust lawsuit against NASCAR.

The teams demand a preliminary injunction allowing them to race with charters while the case goes through the court. Responding to the same, NASCAR filed a court document that said

"(The teams) have filed a meritless suit against NASCAR alleging baseless antitrust claims in order to obtain commercial agreements they previously rejected, and to attempt to extort more favorable contract terms."

Here is a recent tweet by renowned journalist Bob Pockrass, that further illuminates the matter:

With NASCAR ruling out the lawsuit, and the teams neck-deep in a legal battle, Stewart-Haas Racing might not be able to sell off the charters instantly. Therefore, SHR might just miss out on a significant influx of money.