“We need to be better”: Haas Factory Team president admits Cup program needed a ‘reality check’ amid transition from Ford to Chevrolet 

The Haas Factory Team is undergoing a major transformation ahead of the 2026 Cup Series season. It aims to switch its OEMs after operating as a single-car team in the Cup Series following the cessation of Stewart-Haas Racing in 2024. Team president Joe Custer expressed his thoughts on this decision during an interview with Motorsports.com.

The team currently features the Ford Mustang Dark Horse in the Cup Series with an alliance with RFK Racing. Additionally, reflecting on their weaknesses and strengths, Gene Haas decided to change the team's OEM from Ford to Chevy for the 2026 season and will ally with Hendrick Motorsports. He claimed the reason for the switch includes better simulation tools and data playing a crucial role in modern-day racing.

Reflecting on the same, the Haas Factory Team president explained the reason behind the switch. Custer told the media (via Motorsports.com):

“Well, for us, the results speak for themselves on the Cup side. This is a performance-based, results-driven sport, and we need to be better. Candidly, we expected to have to assess where we were by a certain point this year, and we found reasons for optimism, but we also needed a reality check in other areas.”

“I do want to say that Ford did literally everything they said they would. It’s just a matter of what we found when we evaluated our strengths and our weaknesses, did our deep dive, and decided we wanted a degree of synergy and alignment when it came to our strengths and what we have not done as well,” he added.

The Hass Factory Team features one full-time ride in the NASCAR Cup Series with Cole Custer driving the #41 Ford Mustang Dark Horse. He currently ranks 33rd in the Cup Series points table with 363 points. Additionally, he has secured two top tens and one top-five finish in 28 starts this season.

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"I'm really looking forward to that": Haas Factory Team driver Sam Mayer got candid about the OEM switch

Ahead of the Gateway weekend, the Haas Factory Team announced that it would change its OEM from Ford to Chevy in both series starting next season. After hearing about the big change in the team, Xfinity Series driver Sam Mayer shared his take on it.

The team will compete in the 2025 season with Ford cars in the Cup and Xfinity Series. However, Haas Factory Team initially fielded Chevy cars, but after merging with Tony Stewart, they changed to Ford in 2017. Additionally, the team fields two cars in the Xfinity Series, with Sam Mayer driving the #41 Ford and his teammate Sheldon Creed piloting the #00 Ford.

Reflecting on the major news, Mayer praised the Ford staff and shared his thoughts on the switch:

"Everyone at Ford has been amazing to work with. Obviously, this announcement kind of fell in our lap the last like four or five days for myself, so I was definitely taken back a little bit by it. It's definitely an interesting choice for a Haas Factory driver. But yeah, everyone at Ford has been awesome to work with all year, and they said exclusively, like, "We're going to make sure you win the championship at the end of the year." So I'm really looking forward to that," he said.

Haas Factory Team driver Sam Mayer ranks third in the Xfinity Series points table with 2016 points. He has secured one win, 15 top 10s, 12 top fives, and one pole position in 26 starts. Meanwhile, his teammate Sheldon Creed ranks 10th with 2003 points, 12 top 10s, five top fives, and one pole position.