“This feels like a homecoming”: Rick Hendrick makes his feelings known on new NASCAR partnership with Gene Haas’ HFT 

Rick Hendrick is thrilled about his team's reunion with Gene Haas' NASCAR team. The owner of Hendrick Motorsports is also looking forward to more championships with Haas Factory Team (HFT) after the latter team announced a switch from Ford to Chevrolet starting in the 2026 season.

HFT will field Chevy cars in its full-time NASCAR Cup Series program and two full-time entries in what will be called the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. As part of the switch, the team will form a technical alliance with Hendrick Motorsports. Hendrick-built engines will power both its Cup and Xfinity entries.

"We have a long history with Gene and his organization, including winning championships together, so this feels almost like a homecoming," Rick Hendrick said in a team release.

The move marks a return to roots for Gene Haas, who first entered NASCAR in the early 2000s with Haas CNC Racing. Haas' team began with Chevrolet and got technical backing from Hendrick Motorsports.

"Our relationship started many years ago with Haas CNC machines in our facilities, and I've always admired the passion that he and Joe Custer [HFT president] have for the sport and their desire to win. We're proud to support Haas Factory Team and thrilled to work together to deliver more victories for Chevrolet," Hendrick added.

Haas and Tony Stewart later joined forces to form Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) and won two Cup championships with Chevrolets in 2011 and 2014. SHR switched to Ford in 2017.

When Rick Hendrick supported Tony Stewart's entry into ownership with Gene Haas

Gene Haas launched his NASCAR race team in 2002 after he had purchased the Concord-based Craftsman Truck Series facility from Hendrick Motorsports. That sale gave Haas a base along with engines and technical support from Hendrick to start his own Winston Cup effort as a single-car team.

When Tony Stewart joined in with Haas in 2009, Rick Hendrick supported his partnership and shared his words of encouragement.

"I think Tony is going to go down as one of the great owners in the sport. He’s got a good partner with Gene Haas, Haas Automation. They've had the foundation. But he's bringing what they're missing," Rick Hendrick said back in 2008 via Autosport.

Now, Haas has come full circle with a single NASCAR Cup entry with Hendrick's engines after Stewart left and SHR closed operations at the end of the last season.

HFT will continue to keep the same line up of drivers as 2025 for the next season. Cole Custer will compete in the team's sole Cup No. 41 Chevy. Sheldon Creed and Sam Mayer will continue in the No. 00 and No. 41 teams, respectively, in the O'Reilly Auto Parts Series.