Office Depot departing SHR

Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet, pits during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AdvoCare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 2, 2012 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images for NASCAR)
Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet, pits during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AdvoCare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 2, 2012 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images for NASCAR)

HAMPTON, Ga. — Office Depot will leave its role as a primary sponsor of Tony Stewart’s No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet at the end of the season, according to reports on ESPN.com and Foxsports.com.

Team spokesperson Mike Arning indicated Stewart-Haas and Office Depot were discussing other ways in which the company might maintain its involvement with the racing organization.

Office Depot is the primary sponsor in 22 of the defending Cup champion’s races this season. Mobil 1, which is returning next year, is the primary sponsor for 16 races.

Arning told Foxsports.com that the decision “came pretty recently, so there’s certainly a sense of urgency and a good bit of work that needs to be done between now and the start of next year.”

Stewart-Haas also is trying to fill out sponsorship for Ryan Newman in order to re-sign the driver of the No. 39 Chevrolet. The U.S. Army has opted not to renew its partial primary sponsorship of Newman’s car next year.

Stewart-Haas also will field a full-time Sprint Cup ride for Danica Patrick next season.

Greg Engle
About Greg Engle 7421 Articles
Greg is a published award winning sportswriter who spent 23 years combined active and active reserve military service, much of that in and around the Special Operations community. Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.