Gene Haas is Keeping His NASCAR Charter
What’s Happening? Gene Haas announced to the media on Thursday that he will keep the fourth SHR charter and rename his…
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On Thursday, Gene Haas announced that he is staying in the NASCAR Cup Series by hanging on to one charter and keeping his existing Xfinity Series program. Now, the question turns to who could drive the car for the team.
What’s Happening? Gene Haas announced to the media on Thursday that he will keep the fourth SHR charter and rename his…
Cole Custer seems all but guaranteed to race for this team, given that his dad, Joe, will be the Team President. It also makes sense from a performance standpoint, as Cole is the 2023 Xfinity Series Champion and a Cup Series race winner.
However, will it be for the Cup team or Xfinity team? Cole has certainly shown promise in the Xfinity Series, and it might be worth trying the Cup level again. However, his struggles in Cup with SHR could give Haas pause.
Riley Herbst has shown some promise in the last couple of seasons. He won his first Xfinity Series race at Las Vegas last fall and is well within the top 10 in points this season. However, Herbst’s future could take him elsewhere.
Sources have told us that 23XI Racing is interested in Herbst, who is funded by Monster Energy and his family. If that ride opens up, it would be tough for Herbst to say no, but it all depends on whether or not 23XI Racing obtains a charter.
What’s Happening? After winning his second race of the Xfinity Series season at Iowa Speedway last weekend, Sam Mayer explained…
Sam Mayer admitted at Iowa that he is upset that he is not getting more attention for Cup Series rides. Would it be worth it for Mayer to join another Xfinity Series team, or could he get a Cup Series opportunity with this Haas Factory Team?
It’s possible, but Mayer must be lured from arguably the top Xfinity Series team today, JRM. Is it good for Mayer to move from JRM to the Haas Factory team? The equipment might be good at the Xfinity level, but the Cup level is uncertain.
Gene Haas’s stay in NASCAR allows current SHR drivers to consider another race team. Maybe Josh Berry, Noah Gragson, or Ryan Preece could stay with the same team. Some familiarity in a time when everything is changing could be a big selling point.
Would it be a Cup Series opportunity or an Xfinity Series ride? That’s the question, and it may determine which drivers want this opportunity. Why would they move down to the Xfinity Series if Cup Series rides are available?
Kaz Grala competes in the Cup Series for Ford via Rick Ware Racing. Given that he races for RWR, Grala brings some funding to the table, which could give the Haas Factory Team some of the sponsorship they are looking for. He also had a decent season in 2023 with Sam Hunt Racing.
However, this would not be the most exciting hire. Either way, Grala would probably be a solid, serviceable driver for this team.
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