The driver of the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Mustang will have a new partner starting in the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series season. GearWrench will serve as the primary sponsor of Kevin Harvick for five races and as an associate sponsor for the remainder of the season.
GearWrench and SHR issued a joint press release on Wednesday, October 27, confirming that the tool manufacturer will make the leap from Chip Ganassi Racing and Kurt Busch’s No. 1 Chevrolet after the end of the 2021 season. The release also confirmed that GearWrench will be the official tool partner of SHR and will secure naming rights to the team headquarters, making it the GearWrench Garage.
“We’ve prided ourselves in putting the right people in the right positions at SHR, and the people who turn wrenches on our racecars are the best in the business,” SHR co-owner Tony Stewart said in the press release. “We have high standards, and GEARWRENCH tools not only meet, but exceed those standards. This is a partner who is as dedicated to winning as we are.”
The deal with SHR answers a major question about a key sponsor. With GearWrench joining Harvick, the tool manufacturer will likely not go with Busch to 23XI Racing for the 2022 Cup Series season.
Harvick Showcased the New Scheme on October 27
Kevin Harvick unveils the No. 4 GearWrench Ford Mustang that will hit the track next season. #RaceHub
Prior to the press release going out to media members, Harvick broke the news with a tv appearance. He headed to the “NASCAR Race Hub” set and provided the first look at his new paint scheme.
The design that Harvick showed off has some similarities to Busch’s GearWrench scheme, but there are some significant differences. The No. 4 features more black than orange, and there are no massive white stripes on the sides like there are on the No. 1. Finally, the hood logo actually has the GearWrench text along with the primary logo.
The “Race Hub” hosts gave Harvick a hard time about his new sponsor being on a 2021 stock car instead of the Next Gen, but he defended himself by explaining that they are still in the current season. To fix the issue, the show also unveiled a rendering of the Next Gen No. 4 with the GearWrench graphics and single-lug wheels.
Harvick Has Continued to Add New Sponsors
GettyKevin Harvick continues to add new sponsors.
GearWrench is not the only new sponsor to join forces with Harvick and SHR. The team also announced a partnership with Subway on August 24, which initially included a two-race takeover of the No. 4. Though the sandwich chain later joined Harvick for a third race.
Subway first joined Harvick for the Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on September 18, a runner-up finish behind Kyle Larson. The brand then returned to Harvick for races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (September 26) and Kansas Speedway (October 24). He finished ninth and third, respectively in these events.
Harvick did not reach Victory Lane during his three-race deal with Subway, but he will start the 2022 season fresh with a new sponsor. He will join forces with GearWrench and pursue his 59th NASCAR Cup Series victory, which would help him reach the playoffs and put him in a tie with Kyle Busch for ninth on the all-time wins list.
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Kevin Harvick, SHR Land New Sponsor on Multi-Year Deal