Stewart set to announce Haas deal

Speculation had been mounting since last April about Stewart's future with Joe Gibbs Racing, when he admitted that his continuity with the team was not set yet despite having a contract signed with them for next year.

Stewart said at the time: "We've got multiple offers on the table right now, and there's a couple in particular that have really caught our interest. Now, it's just a matter of figuring out what we want to do and just being smart.

"We're just going to look at everything that's out there. A wise person told me it never costs a dime to listen, so right now we're all ears."

Stewart has reportedly achieved a release from his contract a year earlier and will now become owner of the Chevrolet team that will be renamed as Stewart Haas Racing, fielding Hendrick Motorsports cars for him and a yet to be named second driver.

Ryan Newman is the leading candidate to become Stewart's teammate as his contract with Penske is due at the end of this year and the continuity of his cars' sponsor is uncertain.

Stewart has spent ten seasons driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, winning the Sprint Cup title in 2002 and 2005. He has 32 Cup victories to his credit in his time with the team plus five wins in the Nationwide series, all of them achieved this season.

Haas CNC Racing currently fields cars for Scott Riggs and Johnny Sauter but both of them are outside the top-35 in the owner standings. Their best result this year is a 17th place Riggs claimed at Darlington in May.