Tony Stewart still expects Kurt Busch back at Stewart-Haas Racing in 2018

Expect the 41 car to have the same driver if things work out correctly, but the 10 could still be up in the air.

Maybe we shouldn’t make Kurt Busch one of the big name Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series free agents just yet.

Although SHR declined Busch’s option, the team has always maintained it would welcome the 2017 Daytona 500 winner back if the circumstances were right. This week, co-owner Tony Stewart told Lee Spencer of Motorsport just what those conditions would be.

To no one’s surprise, they involve sponsorship.

"“We fully intend on having him next year, but it’s obviously dictated on sponsorship. These cars don’t run themselves, and it costs a lot of money to do it. We need to make sure we have sponsorship for that car before we commit to him for next year.“But our plan at Stewart-Haas is to have Kurt in that car next year with Monster and Haas Automation.”"

Since the team’s other co-owner is Gene Haas, the Haas Automation part of that equation is completely up to him. So it sounds as if Busch’s return could depend on Monster, which has to decide if it wants to sponsor a car on top of being the series sponsor amid reports that it is considering realigning how it spends its dollars in the sport.

Presumably, another company could step up to the plate with some sponsorship dollars as an alternative, but those options aren’t exactly abundant at the moment.

Next: Where could Danica Patrick still find a Cup Series ride for 2018?

So that’s the 41, but there’s also the No. 10 car to consider. It’s been widely assumed that with Smithfield coming aboard, Aric Almirola might follow. But Stewart says there’s been no final decision made on that front.

"“So we’re looking at options as who is available. You’re trying to find out whose contracts are up, when they’re up. So a lot of it is timing. Timing is everything in this scenario.”"

Of course, Almirola is available since he’s parting ways with Richard Petty Motorsports, so maybe he’s not the shoe-in many observers expected. Stewart-Haas Racing does have Cole Custer in the XFINITY Series as a potential call-up candidate if it decides it wants to go the youth movement route other teams are trying (see also: Hendrick Motorsports), but Custer appears he’d be better off with another full year of XFINITY before he makes the jump.

Just when it looked like SHR might turn over three of its four cars in the span of two seasons (since Clint Bowyer just arrived in 2017), it’s possible there will be more stability around Kevin Harvick than it first appeared. We should know for sure over the next month or so.