Stewart-Haas Racing entered into a sponsorship agreement with Texas A&M University towards the end of the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season. The partnership involved two NASCAR races and secured a reported financial backing of $160,000 from Texas A&M, which many in the community view as unexpectedly low. This sponsorship provided the university with exposure in a new market while simultaneously filling sponsorship gaps as Stewart-Haas decided to close its full-time NASCAR Cup Series operations by the end of the year.
Stewart-Haas Racing is co-owned by former NASCAR champion Tony Stewart and Gene Haas, a leader in the CNC machine tool industry. Based in Kannapolis, North Carolina, Stewart-Haas Racing boasts a history rich with victories, including two NASCAR Cup Series titles and a myriad of race wins in prestigious events like the Daytona 500.
Meanwhile, Texas A&M University was founded in 1876 as Texas’s first public higher learning institution. The university prides itself on a strong network of student veterans and provides significant support through initiatives like the Don and Ellie Knauss Veteran Resource and Support Center.
In their collaboration, Stewart-Haas Racing and Texas A&M activated their sponsorship with two drivers, Chase Briscoe and Josh Berry. Briscoe took to the track in Las Vegas on October 20th in a Texas A&M-themed vehicle, while Berry’s car was emblazoned with a maroon and camouflage design at Phoenix, featuring the Honor and Remember Flag.
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Jayski reported that the sponsorship was worth $160,000, explaining:
“Texas A&M University agreed to spend $160,000 to be the primary sponsor of Stewart-Haas cars at two NASCAR races, a marketing partnership that the school called ‘novel’ during its original announcement.
“The contract, a copy of which Sportico obtained via open records requests, was signed by both sides in early October. For a final cost of no more than $160,000, Stewart-Haas agreed to race twice with Texas A&M-branded liveries, plus a handful of other marketing, promotional and ticket deliverables.
“Chase Briscoe raced his No. 14 car with a maroon Texas A&M wrap in Las Vegas on Oct. 20, and his teammate Josh Berry drove his No. 4 car with a maroon and camouflage wrap at Phoenix.”
Speaking on the closure of Stewart-Haas Racing, Tony Stewart commented, as previously reported by Newsweek Sports:
“I don’t know that it’s even bittersweet. It’s more bitter than sweet, I feel like,” Stewart said. “It’s a tough decision, but things in life change. Your priorities change, and variables outside of your control change as well.
“NASCAR… you and I have been around it for a long time.
“It is not what it used to be. It is drastically different than what it used to be. And that’s ok for some people, and for some people it’s not. I guess I’m one of those people.”
