DARLINGTON, SC – AUGUST 31: Cole Custer (#41 Haas Factory Team Autodesk/Haas Tooling Add-In Ford) races through Turn 2 during the running of the NASCAR Cup Series Cook Out Southern 500 on August 31, 2025, at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, SC. (Photo by Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The news almost begs the question: what took so long? On Friday, Haas Factory Team finally made the not-so-shocking announcement that they’ll be moving to Chevrolet starting next season.
The swap—trading a Blue Oval for a Bowtie—has been circling the rumor mill for weeks. Now it’s official, and with confirmation comes the real intrigue: what does the future look like for a team built from the remnants of what was once a powerhouse in NASCAR?
For the uninitiated, Haas Factory Team’s roots trace back to 2002, when Gene Haas founded Haas CNC Racing. In 2009, he brought in NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart, forming Stewart-Haas Racing. That partnership grew into a four-car juggernaut with 69 Cup wins, 28 in Xfinity, two Cup titles, and an Xfinity crown to boot.
But beginning in 2021, the wheels started to come off. By 2024, the once-mighty SHR collapsed, and at the end of the season Stewart walked away, and Haas was left to regroup with a smaller operation that debuted this season. That leaner outfit, born from SHR’s ashes, will now head back to Chevrolet.
2015 March 08 | Kevin Harvick (4) Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet Impala SS does a burnout after winning the Kobalt 400 Sprint Cup Series at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Las Vegas, NV. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
“First and foremost, we want to thank Ford for its partnership. Their support allowed us to establish Haas Factory Team, and we remain dedicated to delivering results for them in Cup and Xfinity all the way through the season finale in Phoenix,” said team president Joe Custer.
Starting next year, the reborn Chevy team will continue to field entries in the Cup Series and the soon-to-be-renamed NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. But perhaps the bigger headline? The move includes a technical alliance with Hendrick Motorsports—the gold standard for modern NASCAR dominance.
“Personally, I have a deep history with Chevrolet and Hendrick Motorsports,” Haas said. “Both helped in establishing not only my presence as a team owner in NASCAR, but also the presence of Haas Automation. Together, we were able to build a race team that competed for wins and championships while growing the use of Haas CNC machinery throughout the racing and manufacturing industries.”
Hendrick will supply engines across both series, the same sort of arrangement that fueled SHR’s rise between 2009 and 2016.
“We have a long history with Gene and his organization, including winning championships together, so this feels almost like a homecoming,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of 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 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.”
Next season, Cole Custer will return to the No. 41 in the Cup Series, while Sheldon Creed and Sam Mayer will continue in the Nos. 00 and 41 entries in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series.
And while no one’s exactly rushing to engrave “Haas” on a trophy this season, 2026 could be different. With Bowties on the grille and Hendrick horsepower under the hood, these Chevrolets might just surprise the field.
Stay tuned. The best may be yet to come for the Haas Factory team.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/gregengle/2025/09/05/haas-factory-team-could-find-new-life-with-chevy-and-hendrick-alliance/
