Haas confident Kurt Busch will be back in 2018

Haas, who recruited Busch to drive the No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing car four years ago, decided not to pick up the former NASCAR champion’s option on August 1.

But he fully expects the Daytona 500 winner to remain with the organization.

“I’m 99.9-percent positive he’ll be driving the No. 41 car,” Haas said. “It’s just an economic deal, where we’re not exactly sure what Monster wants to do. I guess you could say it’s a buyer’s market right now in terms of advertising on a race car.

“They want great deals — and that makes it difficult. Very difficult.”

Busch, who finished 11th at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday, was the top finishing SHR Ford. He’s currently 14th in the standings but locked into the Playoffs.

SHR has also had difficulty finding sponsorship for the No. 10 car as well. — but Haas hasn’t given up hope in securing support for Danica Patrick for next season.

“Our current prospects, we’re going to see if we can’t find a sponsor for Danica,” Haas said. “That really will kind of determine the future of that car. A couple of years ago, Nature’s Bakery signed on — and it was a good contract. It made it all work out. We’re kind of in the same position again.

Haas made his first trip to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Saturday. He was scouting young talent — in particular his development driver Cole Custer. Haas heard Dale Earnhardt Jr.‘s comments regarding the economic landscape changing in NASCAR. Haas agrees.

“There’s a whole new generation of up and coming drivers and we have to be on the lookout because some of our drivers over the next few years are going to retire,” Haas said. “It’s reality. It’s funny, when I got into the sport, the Tony Stewarts and the Jeff Gordons were pushing out the older drivers — the Sterling Marlins. I felt sorry for those guys. I thought, ‘It must be tough. But now the Tony Stewarts and Jeff Gordons are being pushed out again. It didn’t take that long.”

Does Haas anticipate putting Custer in a Cup car any time soon?

“It all comes down to performance,” Haas said. “If he wants to move up to a Cup ride, he has to perform. That’s not really up to me. That’s up to him.”