Smithfield to Stewart-Haas Racing in 2018, driver to be named later
By Nick Tylwalk
Smithfield is leaving Richard Petty Motorsports and will sponsor a Stewart-Haas Racing car … but that’s not the end of the intrigue.
Prepare to see the Smithfield brands on a different car next NASCAR season.
Though the company is closely associated with the No. 43 of Richard Petty Motorsports, which it has sponsored since 2012, it will be moving on at the end of the current campaign. As reported by Jayski, Stewart-Haas Racing announced today that Smithfield will join it as a primary team sponsor for 2018.
The announcement confirms an earlier report by Motorsport’s Lee Spencer that such a move was in the works after a handshake deal between the company and Richard Petty fell through, potentially over RPM’s desire to have Bubba Wallace drive the 43 in 2018.
That’s not even the most interesting part, though, as the Stewart-Haas press release also says this:
"Details of the agreement, including the driver who will be added to SHR’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series lineup in 2018, will be provided at a later date."
What that means is that Smithfield won’t be sponsoring a current SHR driver and will instead be supporting a newcomer to the team.
The obvious candidate would be Aric Almirola, who has an existing relationship with Smithfield. If he moves from the 43 to one of the Stewart-Haas rides — and it could be either the 41 or 10, as Kurt Busch is already in contract limbo and Danica Patrick might be out as well — he could slide right in with a sponsor in tow. He’s even already a Ford driver for maximum synergy.
Other possibilities include playoff contenders Matt Kenseth, who has been amazingly zen about the entire Silly Season process and might know something we don’t, and Kasey Kahne. Both drivers need full-time gigs for next season, so you can’t count them out for any potential opening.
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Consider it just the latest in what’s been one of the wildest NASCAR Silly Seasons in recent memory. And depending on who ends up as the driver in this deal, it could be just another domino in an ever-growing string of moves in the Cup Series garage.