For Tony Stewart, the bad luck from the 2023 Cup Series season does not seem to end. Stewart-Haas Racing failed to win a single race in the competition, and with Kevin Harvick’s retirement, the team has lost an important sponsor in the $110 billion worth Anheuser-Busch. Recently, it was revealed that the team was losing another sponsor due to Harvick’s retirement. To Stewart’s dismay, they will be teaming up with a rival.

Kevin Harvick was the star of Stewart-Haas Racing for years. He got the team their second Cup Championship in 2014. What made this title win even better was the fact that it was Harvick’s debut year for the SHR. Fast forward to today, with ‘The Closer’ finally hanging up his racing boots, things seem to be going down south for Tony Stewart.

Kevin Harvick’s retirement forces ‘Hunt Brothers Pizza’ to leave Tony Stewart

The American food chain was a longtime primary sponsor of Kevin Harvick, but with his retirement, it is also on the move. Much like Anheuser-Busch (who went to Ross Chastain), HB Pizza is set to join a rival team, and it is none other than the Cup Series champion, Team Penske.

“We are thrilled to team up with Joey Logano and Team Penske, a winning team and driver who both share our company’s values and commitment to being the best in our respective industries,” said Scott Hunt, CEO of Hunt Brothers Pizza. “NASCAR continues to be a popular sport among convenience store customers, and we look forward to continuing to engage fans and provide additional marketing value for our convenience store partners in the years to come.”

Starting in 2024, Hunt Brothers Pizza will be a part of Team Penske’s NASCAR program in a multi-year deal. The pizza company will be a primary sponsor of 2-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Joey Logano for select races next season. They will also be an associate sponsor of the 2023 Cup Series champion, Ryan Blaney.

It is not just Kevin Harvick who has left a full-time role at Stewart-Haas Racing. Their veteran racer Aric Almirola also announced his retirement from full-time competition and, much like what happened with Harvick, his departure has lost Tony Stewart yet another sponsor. The company in question has been with Almirola since the beginning. Did you know, they were his first sponsor in 2012?

‘Smithfield Foods’ left Stewart-Haas Racing after Aric Almirola’s departure

In Almirola’s case, it was Smithfield Foods. The company has served as an important partner to the veteran racer for the past decade. Earlier this year, they announced their departure from the sport at the end of the 2023 season, bringing further misery to Tony Stewart.

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“Aric has been an incredible ambassador for Smithfield over the past 12 seasons, and we have enjoyed an outstanding relationship with Stewart-Haas Racing in our six seasons together. We plan on finishing 2023 strong, and we wish Aric and SHR the very best,” Smithfield Foods said in their release.

The road ahead looks tough for Stewart-Haas Racing and Tony Stewart. Will the Cup Series-winning team be able to bounce back from these series of setbacks in the 2024 season? Let us know your thoughts.