In January 2017, Nature's Bakery pulled their sponsorship from Patrick, resulting in SHR filing a $31 million lawsuit for breach of contract. Nature's Bakery filed a countersuit, claiming that SHR failed to prevent Patrick from promoting competing products. Both parties agreed to settle the lawsuit in May 2017 and Nature's Bakery agreed to sponsor Patrick and Bowyer for four races. After finishing the 2017 season with one top-10 finish at Dover and finishing 28th in points, Patrick was released from the No. 10 team and replaced by Aric Almirola, who brought in Smithfield Foods as the team's sponsor after six seasons with Richard Petty Motorsports driving the famous No. 43.