Harvick to Stewart Haas

[Flying Razorback]

I've been a big Harvick fan since 2000.  My father was an Earnhardt fan and was in regular attendance at Michigan in the 80s and 90s.  He had me next to him on the couch as an Earnhardt fan all those years, but that was his driver.  Harvick was going to be mine.  Obviously it was an easy transition for us when he took over the seat of the 3.

I hate to see Harvick go to another team and I hate to see how mad Richard Childress is over this. 

I just hope his career doesn't nosedive like Newman's did when he gets to SHR.  This year was terrible but so was 2009, hopefully next year is more like 2010 or 2011 for Harvick.

[Racinray]

RC is making room for the grandkids, Harvick see's the writing on the wall.
Moving to SHR is a step up for him.

[Flying Razorback]

RC is making room for the grandkids, Harvick see's the writing on the wall.
Moving to SHR is a step up for him.

I think the room could have/would have been made for a Harvick, T. Dillon, and A. Dillon team.  Ty isn't allowed by Grandpa to move up until he finishes college which I think they said was 2016.  Austin is finishing next year I believe and is going full time in  2014.  Burton's contract also expires next year and I think he'd be the first to go.  A team of Dillon/Dillon/Harvick would have been sweet.

[Buff]

He can't get consistently competitive equipment as the flagship driver of that organization, why would it be even better when the owner is spending all his time in Austin's shop?  If I was Newman I'd be worried about my future after 2014. 

Kevin and Tony gonna be a badass combo.

[Flying Razorback]

He can't get consistently competitive equipment as the flagship driver of that organization, why would it be even better when the owner is spending all his time in Austin's shop?  If I was Newman I'd be worried about my future after 2014. 

Kevin and Tony gonna be a badass combo.

Good point and I agree Tony and Kevin are a cool team.  But I hate change in sports.  New number, new crew chiefs, new colors, new sponsors, everything.  It'll effectively end his participation in Mationwide and Trucks too. 

I had read Tony wants to go to 4 cars with Newman Harvick and Danica.

[Harvick29]

This is bittersweet for me. I have tremendous respect for Richard Childress and wish Harvick could win a championship with him. However, Harv and Stewart are great friends and would definitely make a great team. Since Stewart can't go to RCR, I guess this is the only way. Now, if they hadn't added that dumb a** chase, which sucks, Harvick would have gotten a championship a few years ago when he blew away the field all year. But that's another story....

[Flying Razorback]

Love that you have 29 posts, time to leave it there and come back with a different account.  +1 for that

[Buff]

7 smites and he'll have the perfect 29/29/29

[Flying Razorback]

7 smites and he'll have the perfect 29/29/29

It would be awesome, but I don't think I could do it for him.

I really hope this revitalizes Harvick's career.  I'm a big RCR fan, but it is frustrating having a complete downturn every 3 years.  Followed by an emphatic speech/interview from Richard in the last 6 races of a bad season that says "We've got to reevaluate what we're doing here.  We don't like losing, we're here to win.  We're making some big changes and we're going in to this offseason with one goal for next year..."  Then next year comes, Harvick stays top 3 or top 5 in the points all year, wins 3-5 races, and finishes top 3 in the points.  Then a year or two later, we're back to seasons like this one...

I just can't figure out how a team with as many resources as RCR can suddenly forget how to get the car to hook up to the track.  All you hear over the in car audio is "LOOSE LOOSE LOOSE!!! I'M WRECKING EVERY LAP!!!" or "She won't turn in a 10 acre field..."

[riccoar]

So does this happen in 2013 or 2014?

[Flying Razorback]

So does this happen in 2013 or 2014?

2014.  Watch Dillon get a few more races than originally planned in 2013 though in the 33 car.  They'll probably start to divert resources to build up the 33 and 31 teams from the 29 team.  I hope Harvick goes for broke next year and goes out with a bang.

[riccoar]

Makes you wonder if they don't do some off season wrangling to get this moved ahead to 2013.  I would not want to be a lame duck driver for an entire season.

[Flying Razorback]

Makes you wonder if they don't do some off season wrangling to get this moved ahead to 2013.  I would not want to be a lame duck driver for an entire season.

I don't know if it would be a good move for Harvick to move that quick.  Budweiser is too big a sponsorship to be left out in the cold like that.  I think they're a $30 million sponsorship and could ruin an organization if their flagship sponsor just up and left with no time to get anyone else signed up. 

Also I don't think Harvick would want to jump in to an organization that doesn't even have facilities set up for a 4th team yet.  Most organizations take 6 months to a year to get a 3rd or 4th team running.  The engine shops have to be expanded, a lot of high quality personnel have to be hired from development all the way through pit crews.  If this were July-August timeframe then I would think it's more likely, I think that Harvick and Richard both honor the 2013 season just to keep Budweiser and get SHR setup more than anything.

I said it somewhere else but I think things would have been a lot more smooth if he had just said, "Boss, you have given me everything and built my career for me.  I can never repay you for that and will always be indebted to you and gracious to you and your family.  However, I feel like I'm kind of at a crossroads in my career with my progress and my age.  I'd like to join up with my best friend Tony and see if I can revitalize my career and try to get one last big boost for my family before the sun starts to set.  What do you think of this?  Is there anything I can do to make the transition easier?  What can I do to help this organization before I leave?"

Richard would have preferred that rather than a reporter shoving a mic in his face and saying, "Reports are breaking that Harvick is leaving your team and going to SHR, what do you have to say about that?!"

[Flying Razorback]

Well it looks like Harvick is going to bring Budweiser and Jimmy Johns over to Stewart Haas with him.  That's good.  I'm glad he doesn't end up in some random sponsorship.  I wish he could stay 29, but wonder what he'll switch to.

[hoghelmet14]

Good point and I agree Tony and Kevin are a cool team.  But I hate change in sports.  New number, new crew chiefs, new colors, new sponsors, everything.  It'll effectively end his participation in Mationwide and Trucks too. 

I had read Tony wants to go to 4 cars with Newman Harvick and Danica.

You dont have a 29 tattoo do you? LOL

[hoghelmet14]

Smoke is having no problems landing sponsors..... why are other teams having so much trouble?

[hoghelmet14]

Well it looks like Harvick is going to bring Budweiser and Jimmy Johns over to Stewart Haas with him.  That's good.  I'm glad he doesn't end up in some random sponsorship.  I wish he could stay 29, but wonder what he'll switch to.

What would be your pick for a number?

[Flying Razorback]

You dont have a 29 tattoo do you? LOL

Ha, no, just a big 29 in the rear window of my truck.  I'd like to go back and thank the 18 year old version of myself for not getting that #3 tattoo I had my eye on though.  The dumb things you think of when you're young...

Smoke is having no problems landing sponsors..... why are other teams having so much trouble?

Smoke isn't having the easiest time.  He's lost Office Depot, he's possibly losing the Army sponsorship, and he's having trouble back filling them.  He's been quoted several times that it's the hardest thing about being an owner.

Childress has had a much easier go of it but I don't think he requires the sponsoring company to make such a high risk.  Teams like Roush seem to ask companies to wager enough that if it doesn't work out the company will go bankrupt.  $35 million isn't chump change these days.

What would be your pick for a number?

I wish he would stay 29.  That's because it's the only way I've known him.  If he has to change I guess I'd like to him to see if he could get the 33 away from RCR.  I've only ever seen him in the 29, 33, or 2.

My honest guess is that he's going to switch to either the #72 or #75.  It's what he broke in to the major circuits with in the mid-90s.  It seems like everyone at SHR has a number that "means" something to them.  I believe Smoke, Newman, and Danica are all racing on the numbers that they grew up racing in their junior circuit days.

So yeah, my money is on 72 or 75.

[Chollo]

With the 29 opening up I could see RCR moving Kurt Busch into it if he keeps out of trouble next year with FRR.

[Flying Razorback]

With the 29 opening up I could see RCR moving Kurt Busch into it if he keeps out of trouble next year with FRR.

Since Austin needs a full time ride in 2014 I think it's an easier transition for that.  Childress hates the Busch brothers, and he doesnt seem to forget things.  He has said Austin is getting a full time ride in 2014 so I think Kevin was afraid of losing what resources he alread had as the flagship team.  Ty is supposed to get a full time ride the next year after.  I just don't see what the added value of Kurt would be when the RCR long term line up is basically set with the Dillon brothers and Joey Coulter and some of their other development drivers to hold a 3rd seat outside of the Dillons.

[10thPlanet]

Forgot about having this until I seen this thread with the #75 pics. It's signed by Marty Houston, don't know why I ended up with it other than it was for charity.