Mayer Maintains Championship Push; Creed Stays Above Playoff Cutline in Portland
DARLINGTON, S.C. (August 31, 2025) – Haas Factory Team (HFT) drivers battled through a demanding weekend on both coasts, as Cole Custer earned a 24th-place finish in the NASCAR Cup Series’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, while Xfinity Series teammates Sam Mayer and Sheldon Creed faced late-race adversity on the road course at Portland International Raceway.
Cup Series
41 Cole Custer
Cole Custer capped off a long, physical night at Darlington Raceway with a 24th-place finish in Sunday’s Cook Out Southern 500, completing all 367 laps in NASCAR’s crown-jewel Labor Day weekend event. Custer started 18th and stayed inside the top 25 throughout the race, finishing 20th in Stage One and 22nd in Stage Two as the team worked to adjust the balance of the No. 41 Autodesk/HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang.
Early in the race, Custer reported the car was a little loose on corner entry but improved over long runs. He pitted on lap 38 under green and cycled to 19th, showing steady pace despite tight handling and challenging track conditions. A stop just before a lap-151 caution temporarily put him a lap down, but he regained lead-lap status as the free pass recipient. After running long into a green-flag cycle, he pitted on lap 193 and restarted 24th following a lap-202 caution.
Throughout the night, the No. 41 team battled a tight-handling condition, particularly on short runs and in traffic. Despite a drop to 31st after a late green-flag pit stop on lap 280, Custer rallied back into the top 25, reaching 20th by lap 311 before a caution reset the field. Balance remained a challenge, and he settled into 24th over the final run to the checkered flag.
Xfinity Series
41 Sam Mayer
Sam Mayer entered Saturday night’s event at Portland International Raceway with momentum on his side. Fresh off a pole-winning effort at the same venue and already locked into the NASCAR Xfinity Series playoffs, Mayer continued to chase valuable points in the tight regular-season championship battle with contenders Connor Zilisch and Justin Allgaier. Piloting the No. 41 Audibel Ford Mustang, Mayer qualified fifth—marking his 11th top-10 start in the last 12 races and another strong showing on a technical road course.
The race’s opening stage ran caution-free through the first 25 laps on the 1.97-mile road course. Mayer quickly went to work, overtaking William Sawalich on the opening lap and settling into fourth position for the majority of the stage. With the field spreading out early, Mayer maintained his pace and positioning to earn seven valuable stage points—an important gain in the close championship race.
In Stage Two, Mayer continued his consistent performance, holding steady inside the top five despite increasing tire wear and pressure from the field. He finished the second stage in fifth, securing six additional stage points and further closing the gap on the regular-season points leaders.
Unfortunately, Mayer’s run at a top-10 finish unraveled in the closing laps. While battling for position late in the race, Mayer was spun and dropped back in the field. Despite the setback, he showcased resilience and determination, charging back through the pack on the final restart to salvage a 16th-place finish.
00 Sheldon Creed
Returning to a track where he earned the pole position just one year ago, Sheldon Creed entered Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Portland International Raceway looking to solidify his spot in the 2025 playoffs. With the No. 00 Friends of Jaclyn Foundation Ford Mustang showing promise in practice, the team had high expectations heading into race day.
Despite the encouraging pace in early sessions, Creed’s qualifying effort placed him 16th on the grid—leaving work to do in the early stages of the race. Undeterred, Creed wasted no time showcasing the car’s potential, charging through the field during Stage One. Within the opening 25 laps, he climbed into the top 10, putting himself in position to collect valuable stage points. He secured a 10th-place finish in the stage, earning a crucial point as he remains locked in a tight battle near the playoff cutline.
Stage Two saw Creed remain in contention, running solid laps and keeping his No. 00 machine in the mix. He ultimately crossed the line 11th at the end of the segment—just one spot shy of additional stage points but continuing to demonstrate consistency.
Unfortunately, the momentum was halted in the final stage. While still showing top-10 speed, Creed was involved in a spin that dropped him through the field. Despite the setback, he fought to the finish and brought the car home in 27th position.
Up Next
The NASCAR Cup Series and Xfinity Series head to World Wide Technology Raceway next weekend. Race coverage for the Xfinity Series is set for Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET on the CW, and Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on USA for the Cup Series.
About Haas Factory Team
The Haas Factory Team is a NASCAR Cup and Xfinity program owned by Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation. Beginning in 2025, the team will feature Cole Custer driving the No. 41 Ford Mustang Dark Horse in the NASCAR Cup Series, while Sheldon Creed and Sam Mayer take on the Xfinity Series in the No. 00 and No. 41 Ford Mustangs, respectively. Based in Kannapolis, North Carolina, the Haas Factory Team reflects a commitment to performance and engineering excellence, carrying forward Gene Haas’s commitment to motorsports.
