Custer's 2026 NASCAR Outlook Remains Uncertain
Cole Custer, the 2023 O'Reilly Auto Parts Series champion, entered the 2026 season with high expectations after a breakthrough year in 2023. His reputation as a steady, race‑crafting driver earned him a seat in the premier developmental series, but the schedule that followed proved far more fragmented than initially promised.
Custer lined up for five races, touching down at Las Vegas, Kansas, Charlotte, Pocono and Chicagoland. Each outing was treated as a one‑off appearance rather than part of a sustained campaign, and the limited mileage left both the driver and the teams assessing performance without the benefit of a full‑season rhythm.
Despite the modest slate, Custer confirmed that he will not be penciled in for any further O'Reilly Series starts before the end of 2026. The decision reflects a combination of team reshuffles, budgetary considerations, and a strategic pivot toward other opportunities within the sport.
Entering the fray, Garrett Smithley, who has been the primary driver of the No. 0 Chevrolet throughout the year, is set to take over the car for the upcoming Atlanta race and is expected to remain behind the wheel for the bulk of the season, barring a possible shift for the October playoff event at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Smithley's best result to date came at EchoPark Speedway, where he finished 14th, a respectable showing given the competitive field. Earlier in the season, Alex Labbe handled the No. 0 entry in all four road‑course events, providing a steady hand while the team evaluated its driver lineup.
The logistical reshuffle also saw the October playoff race at Charlotte originally slated for the Roval configuration, only to be moved to the high‑banked oval late in the offseason, adding another layer of complexity to the schedule and underscoring the fluid nature of race planning.
The reshuffling underscores the volatile driver market in the developmental series, with teams such as SS‑Green Light Racing, BRK Racing, Haas Factory Team and Young's Motorsports navigating a crowded landscape as they seek stable line‑ups heading into the next year.