Stewart-Haas Racing, Nature’s Bakery tentatively settle lawsuit

Stewart-Haas Racing and Nature's Bakery have tentatively settled their lawsuit over the fig-bar company's dropping its sponsorship of Danica Patrick one year into a three-year deal.

Nature's Bakery informed SHR in January that it would not sponsor Patrick this season, and SHR filed a lawsuit in February asking for $31 million for the final two years of the deal. Nature's Bakery countersued, citing that SHR did not live up to its promises of support and that Patrick's endorsement of a protein bar violated the deal.

A document filed Wednesday in North Carolina Superior Court states that SHR's attorney has reported that the two sides "have executed settlement documents, which require certain deliverables within the next 21 business days." The order asks for a status report by June 23 if the two sides have not asked for the case to be dismissed.

Nature's Bakery sponsored Patrick for 28 races in 2016 and was scheduled for at least 25 in 2017. The team has picked up sponsorship, including six additional races from Aspen Dental, to fill some of the void. espn