Ford Performance has confirmed that Stewart-Haas Racing will begin a multi-term partner arrangement in the NASCAR Series beginning in 2017.

The four-car squad will race the Ford Fusion models while their engines will be prepared by Roush Yates.

Stewart-Haas Racing will continue its current Chevrolet manufacturer relationship during the 2016 season.

“We are thrilled to be able to add a championship-level team like Stewart-Haas Racing to our Ford NASCAR program,” Raj Nair, Ford’s executive vice president and chief technical officer, said.

“Tony Stewart and Gene Haas have the same passion for winning that we do, and bring a strong stable of drivers and personnel that fit into what we’re trying to do in the sport.”

Ford Performance director Dave Pericak said that the blue oval maker is not just in NASCAR to race but to win races.

“We believe the addition of Stewart-Haas Racing in 2017 will give our program a major boost in terms of being in contention for both drivers’ and manufacturers’ championships every year,” Pericak said.

No decision has been made on when Tony Stewart will return from his back injury with Clint Bowyer set to replace him in the #14 machine in 2017.

Ty Dillon will step into Stewart’s car at Atlanta this weekend while Brian Vickers, who filled in at the Daytona 500, will return to the #14 at Las Vegas on March 6.

Stewart is out indefinitely with a broken back suffered in an all-terrain vehicle accident in January.

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