Kurt Busch signs with SHR for 2014 (Update)
08/26/13 NASCAR driver Kurt Busch today said that he signed a "multi-year deal" to drive for Stewart-Haas Racing beginning next season, according to Lee Spencer of FOXSPORTS.com. Busch currently drives for Furniture Row Racing. FOXSPORTS.com.
ESPN's David Newton reported that Busch "will be sponsored by Haas Automation" for the '14 season. SHR co-Owner Gene Haas on Saturday said that he wants Busch "in one of his cars because he wants to take his non-racing company's name to Victory Lane." Haas said, "I'd really be happy for my company Haas to be in the winner's circle. I've never been there. I want to be there with that name. I know Kurt has had a lot of sponsorship issues, but to me, I just want to win. I'm not too much worried about that stuff."
Haas and Busch "began talking about the possibility of him coming to SHR last month during a General Motors dinner in Indianapolis." SHR not long after "offered Busch a contract to expand the organization to four teams" with drivers Kevin Harvick and Danica Patrick and SHR co-Owner and driver Tony Stewart. That offer came "about a month after Stewart announced Ryan Newman would not return to SHR in 2014 because the organization didn't have sponsorship or funding to expand to four teams." Haas: "Tony was looking at it from a business standpoint … you've got to have sponsors, you've got to have this, you've got to have that. Tony is a smart business man. He was concerned can we afford to do this." Haas added, "The deal with Kurt Busch … it's all on me." ESPN.com