Ford Performance Notes and Quotes
NASCAR Xfinity Series
Cabo Wabo 250 Media Availability | Michigan International Speedway
Friday, August 16, 2024
Haas Factory Team announced Saturday at Michigan International Speedway it has signed drivers Sheldon Creed and Sam Mayer to pilot its two NASCAR Xfinity Series entries beginning in 2025, with both racers joining the company under multiyear agreements. Creed will drive the No. 00 Ford Mustang Dark Horse and Mayer will drive the No. 41 Ford Mustang Dark Horse. The duo, along with Joe Custer, president, Haas Factory Team, met with media Saturday morning at the track.
JOE CUSTER, president, Haas Factory Team
“Well, this feels a little like a throwback to Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick and having that kind of talent in our room. It’s a big day for Haas Factory Team. For these two fellas to believe in our program enough, it says a lot. We plan on dominating next year and if we don’t, I’ll be responsible for that because we certainly have the drivers that can get it done. I think we’re going to give you a lot to talk about. I think it’s going to be an exciting year with the CW. And I think these two guys are going to lead our charge into a multi-year deal. We got seven years with CW, and I don’t know if I can keep them around for seven years. I don’t think so. But we’re going to wear them out. I’m looking forward to it. Our group this year has done a good job of setting the table and these guys are going to take advantage of it and I’m welcoming them and looking forward to a great year.”
SHELDON CREED, YOU WON THE POLL YESTERDAY, SO IN HONOR OF THAT WE’LL START WITH YOU FIRST. WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE THAT HAAS FACTORY TEAM WAS WHERE YOU WANTED TO BE IN 2025?
SHELDON CREED CONTINUED: “Yeah, I think there is a lot that goes into a decision like this. Obviously, the angle is Cup, so what is Haas Factory tied to? Where is it going? They have an alliance with RFK moving forward. And I think for me, it was a multiple-year contract going forward. Where can I grow more in Xfinity? Where can I win races? And Haas Factory seemed to be the place for me.”
SAM, I’LL ASK THE SAME QUESTION TO YOU. WHY IS HAAS FACTORY TEAM THE BEST FIT FOR YOU IN 2025?
SAM MAYER CONTINUED: “Yeah, I think likewise with what Sheldon said, it’s really important to continue development for me as a race car driver and Haas Factory is providing that for me on and off the racetrack. I think that they’re going to do a really good job setting the table for me to go out there and perform and dominate. Obviously, this year’s not done yet, I have a lot more to prove, but I’m really looking forward to next year to go get checkered flags, get stage wins, because I don’t have a lot of those, so develop and start races better and get that opportunity, but at the end of the day, go get a championship. I feel like I have a lot to prove. Cup Series racing is something that I really, really, really want to do, and this is a huge step in that direction for myself.”
JOE, IT’S BEEN AN INTERESTING THREE MONTHS, FOUR MONTHS, FIVE MONTHS AT STEWART-HAAS RACING. YOU GO FROM THE DAY WHEN THE NEWS BREAKS THAT IT’S OVER, THEN THE NEW TEAM FORMS. WHAT IS IT LIKE NOW TO BE ABLE TO START PIECING THIS TOGETHER? YOU’VE GOT SOME GREAT PEOPLE IN THE SHOP. I’M SURE YOU’VE TARGETED SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE BEFORE THEY WERE ABLE TO SNEAK OUT THE DOOR SOMEWHERE ELSE. WHAT HAS THAT BEEN LIKE FOR YOU JUST AS A MANAGER OF THIS NOW AS THIS IS PIECED TOGETHER AND HAVING FOUR CUP TEAMS AND TWO XFINITY TEAMS TO CHOOSE FROM WITH SOME GOOD PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW THE WORKINGS OF THEM?
JOE CUSTER CONTINUED: “Candidly, it has been difficult on the people side. We have a lot of good people that have put their heart into SHR. And so that’s my first concern is to make sure that they find a place in the sport. We’ve taken steps to do that. But at the same time, you have to look to the future. And candidly, the moment we closed the doors on SHR, the topic, we opened the door to the future conversations. And this was always our goal. We feel there’s an opportunity. I didn’t think I could get this level of driver in our cars this next year, candidly. I thought there’d be a little bit of a concern about stability, so we addressed that, we attacked it with our people, with our infrastructure, with our resources, and now with our drivers. So it’s been difficult, but the future’s bright. We’re batting 1.000 right now for putting our full-time drivers in the Cup. And I truly believe these guys will keep that record intact.”
SAM, YOU SAID AFTER IOWA, THAT YOU WERE SURPRISED THAT CUP TEAMS WERE NOT CALLING YOU. DID YOU ALREADY HAVE THIS IN THE PROCESS? WAS THIS SOME PLACE YOU ALREADY KNEW YOU WERE GOING AND WITH YOU EYEING A CUP IN THE FUTURE?
SAM MAYER CONTINUED: “No, to be honest, this came up in the last couple of weeks for me. So, after Iowa, I mean, I will stand by what I said. I want to go Cup racing really badly and like I said, this is a step in that direction I feel like Haas Factory Team is going to do a really good job about development. Developing me on the track and off the track that way I can be the number one top prospect to go to Cup. Obviously, that’s now a couple years down the line or whatever the good Lord has in store for me. But I think that this opportunity in and of itself is really, really good. And at the end of the day, I’m a competitor. I want to get trophies. And this is the best opportunity I see fit to go do that and maybe get some trophies and Cup one day.”
BOTH OF YOU DRIVERS ARE COMING FROM POWERHOUSE XFINITY TEAMS, BUT THIS IS MORE OF A BOUTIQUE SITUATION WHERE IT’S JUST THE TWO OF YOU. YOU DON’T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT FOUR CARS. DOES HAVING THAT SMALLER, SIMPLER TYPE OF SITUATION APPEAL TO YOU AFTER COMING FROM THESE MEGA-ORGANIZATIONS?
SAM MAYER CONTINUED: “Yeah, for myself, this is the first time I’m making a step outside of JRM. They’ve been really good to me over the last three and a half years. I’ve been able to build a home over there and get some wins with them. So this is kind of a change of scenery for myself as well on that level, and obviously, it’s a little bit of a smaller team. What I’m really looking forward to with this team is they’re going to help build it around me and I’m going to be involved in the shop and be able to be there and watch these race cars get built and have a say in it. I’m really looking forward to that because I feel like I can have an impact on that. And obviously this is a new organization, Haas Factory. So I’m looking forward to getting them some checkered flags because they deserve it for sure.”
SHELDON CREED CONTINUED: “I’ve been at two really big teams, RCR and Joe Gibbs Racing. And honestly, I think it’s going to be probably even more enjoyable being a little smaller, a little less people to answer to. I think it is smaller, but it’s still big relatively, right? So, yeah, I mean, a lot to look forward to, like Sam touched on. We’re building a team around us, too. I know it’s probably very similar to Stewart-Haas, just a different name. So, yeah, just really looking forward to a new change again. You don’t expect that, but I’m looking forward to it.”
JOE, AT THIS POINT, HAVE ALL THE SHR CHARTERS BEEN SPOKEN FOR?
JOE CUSTER CONTINUED: “We’re working through that. I don’t have anything to announce on that, but it’ll be forthcoming on the charter side.”
JOE, FIRST OF ALL, YOU HAVE TWO REALLY SOLID CREW CHIEFS ON THE XFINITY TEAM NOW. DO YOU EXPECT THEM TO STICK AROUND OR DO YOU NOT KNOW THAT YET?
JOE CUSTER CONTINUED: “We’re working through it. Of our 60-some Xfinity employees, pretty much all of them are returning. Naturally, there will be a few tweaks. We are working through the crew chief topics right now, but our program, along with Ford and all of our supporters is pretty deep, candidly. Adam Gravitt is our director of competition, and people move, and we, like the drivers say, there’s also folks in our Xfinity programs that move up and have moved up. So we encourage that. The key is the pipeline and the development side of human capital within. And we do that. We’ve been doing that, so our bench is deep. And candidly, again, not only these drivers, but there’s also been interest outside of our organization to come in. So it’s been exciting. Again, a difficult time, a different time, with Stewart-Haas evolving and ending, Haas Factory Team, basically all the assets and all the IP and all the human capital that applies are part of it. So the Xfinity program is a jewel for us. It’s been something that we believe in and that we encourage these guys to reach their goals, and that is to move to Cup but first win races and dominate and sit on poles, which they’re doing as of today. One of my concerns, well not concerns, but an interesting piece of this is literally we could have the four drivers in the Final Four from our two programs, from our existing program, and these two fellas come and so that would be an exciting time for us.”
SAM AND SHELDON, YOU GUYS ARE BOTH COMING FROM POWERHOUSE ORGANIZATIONS, YOU STILL HAVE 13 RACES LEFT WITH THEM THIS YEAR. HOW DO YOU FEEL LIKE THAT AFFECTS YOUR CHAMPIONSHIP ASPIRATIONS FOR THIS YEAR?
SAM MAYER CONTINUED: “Yeah, for myself it doesn’t change anything. We want to go out and win races for JRM, and obviously, there’s a championship at the end of the year too for myself and the organization. So like I touched on earlier, found a home in JRM for the last three and a half years. They’ve taken really good care of me, developed me to this point, and I want to see that through. I want to get a championship. We were really, really close last year making it to the Champ Four. Obviously, we were a little bit short to somebody, but you know, like, I’m really looking forward to finishing out this year with everyone involved and to go get a championship. I have so much to prove.”
SHELDON CREED CONTINUED: “Similar to what Sam said. For me nothing changes. The goal is to win. Obviously, getting the pole yesterday, I think, proves that. I want to walk into Haas Factory in 2025 a race winner. I don’t want to be looking for that race win still. So that’s my goal in the next 13 is how am I going to get to victory lane and try to put a dent in this championship.”
SAM, SINCE THE NEWS BECAME OFFICIAL SOCIAL MEDIA HAS BEEN PRETTY ON FIRE. AND THE BIGGEST QUESTION EVERYBODY IS ASKING IS DID YOUR SCENERY CHANGE FROM JUMPING FROM JRM TO HAAS FACTORY TEAM BECAUSE OF THE CUP OPPORTUNITIES?
SAM MAYER CONTINUED: “I think that for this opportunity to jump from another organization and stay in Xfinity, I think for myself it’s just literally the 5-10 year plan. I think that there’s a really good opportunity no matter what team you’re with. It just so happened that Haas Factory, I felt like, was the best organization for me. I’m hoping to get Cup opportunities in the next couple of years and to be able to kind of prove myself. And that’s why I’m here, is to prove to myself that my name belongs here. That’s what Xfinity is all about. And I’ve got to do a better job on the track to make that even more proven. I think that Haas Factory is going to do a really good job helping me out with that.”
BOTH OF YOU GOING FROM A DIFFERENT MANUFACTURER TO FORD NEXT YEAR, I DON’T KNOW HOW BIG A DEAL THAT IS ON THE XFINITY SIDE COMPARED TO THE CUP SIDE. ON THE CUP SIDE, THERE’S A LOT OF INFO SHIT OFF AND EVERYTHING. DO YOU GUYS FEEL GOOD ABOUT YOUR ABILITIES TO RUN FOR A TITLE WITH THEM KNOWING YOU’RE CHANGING MANUFACTURERS?
SHELDON CREED CONTINUED: “I do. Yeah, I have a lot of trust in my team. Obviously, my guys at Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota want me to end this year on top and win races. I guess I’m trusting that, but I feel like I can.”
SAM MAYER CONTINUED: “Yeah, I feel like for myself it’s the same. We have a job to do at the end of the day and then they’re not gonna take that away from themselves, so I think that getting all the sim time that I can for each and every week to go out there and do my job and have Marty and all the guys get checkered flags at the end of the day. Everyone wants that for at least the next 13 weeks. So I’m looking forward to kind of getting into the playoffs. Obviously, we already have two wins this year and the goal is to get even more than that. So nothing changes on that front. I’m still invested in my program right now and we’re going to do big things by the end of the year for sure.”
