Haas Factory Team is set to field a third full‑time entry in the NASCAR O'Reilly Series beginning in 2027, with Dean Thompson slated to drive the new car. The addition marks a strategic expansion for the organization, which has long operated a single‑car lineup in the Cup Series.
Cole Custer continues to represent the team at the highest level of NASCAR competition, serving as the sole factory driver in the Cup Series. His recent results, including a 32nd‑place finish in the 2025 standings with a best run of fourth, illustrate the team’s steady progress despite a crowded field.
Financial Realities in the Cup Series
Joe Custer, the team president and father of Cole Custer, has repeatedly emphasized that Haas is "dead committed" to maintaining its single‑car Cup operation. This stance comes as charter prices have risen sharply due to recent legal settlements, yet the team shows no intention of selling its valuable charter.
Haas is one of only three single‑car, fully chartered teams in the Cup Series, alongside Hyak Motorsports and Rick Ware Racing. The scarcity of charters underscores the financial pressure faced by smaller operators, but Haas remains steadfast in its current structure.
Gene Haas, who also owns the Haas F1 Team and the O'Reilly Series, has a long‑standing partnership with General Motors. He hopes to deepen that relationship by leveraging technical and manufacturing advantages behind the scenes, using GM’s resources to enhance performance without expanding the on‑track roster.
This collaboration echoes an earlier chapter in Haas’s career when he partnered with Tony Stewart to form a four‑car super team that captured Cup titles in 2011 and 2014. The legacy of that era continues to shape the organization’s approach to competition and partnership.
Cole Custer’s recent performances underscore the team’s modest but steady progress; he finished 32nd in the 2025 standings with a best run of fourth and currently sits 30th in the 2026 championship. While the organization has no immediate plans to rebuild the multi‑car structure that defined Stewart‑Haas Racing, it is focused on tightening its ties with GM and other technical partners to remain competitive within the constraints of a single‑car model.