Strong effort in the desert builds confidence heading into 2026
AVONDALE, AZ (November 2, 2025) – Haas Factory Team wrapped up championship weekend in Phoenix with strong effort. Cole Custer overcame challenges in the Cup Series finale, grinding to a solid finish to close out the season. In Xfinity competition, Sheldon Creed powered to another top-10 after running inside the top five for much of the day, capping a consistent year. And Ryan Sieg delivered a competitive finish, substituting for Sam Mayer, running solidly inside the top-10 before late-race contact cut short an otherwise impressive outing.
Cup Series
41 Cole Custer
Cole Custer and the No. 41 team came into the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series finale at Phoenix Raceway ready to finish strong. Rolling off 27th in the Haas/Bonanza Ford, Custer battled through a frantic opening scramble, working to dial in the balance as the car shifted from loose to tight and back again. Despite challenging handling and a brief drop off the lead lap, he fought hard to stay in position for the free pass and did just that, earning it at the end of Stage One. He finished the stage 28th.
Stage Two featured continued determination. Custer worked his way forward and navigated a near-miss incident with precision. The Haas Factory Team continued to fine-tune the handling, improving rear grip while giving Custer a car that was more easily meneuverable. They also tackling a vibration later diagnosed as rubber buildup. Through multiple strategy calls, Custer climbed as high as 22nd and wrapped the stage 25th.
In the final stage of both the race and the season, Custer stayed composed amid a tire-attrition-filled afternoon that challenged the entire field – including championship contenders. Managing fall-off and adapting through continued adjustments, he worked inside the top-20 late and battled through multiple cautions. Even as grip faded and brakes wore in the closing laps, Custer remained poised, avoided trouble in the dramatic overtime finish, and crossed the line 25th to close out the 2025 season.
“We all fought hard all day. We gave it all we had for the last run of the season,” said Custer. “We definitely didn’t have the speed that we exactly wanted but we made the most of it and definitely excited for the off season to get to work on things for next year and see how we can improve everything and try to make some gains for next year.”
Xfinity Series
00 Sheldon Creed
Sheldon Creed closed out the season driving the No. 00 Pit Boss Ford at Phoenix, starting from the third position – his seventh start of the season inside the top five. After briefly losing a spot on the opening lap to Connor Zilisch, Creed quickly regained third on lap four and charged forward, overtaking Brandon Jones for second by lap 13 in turn three. He remained within a few seconds of leader Taylor Gray for much of the stage and went on to finish Stage One in the runner-up position.
Under the stage break, Creed pitted for tires and fuel, restarting fourth for Stage Two. Over the opening laps, he battled hard with Justin Allgaier for third before settling into the fourth spot. Creed continued to run solidly inside the top five through the remainder of the segment, eventually being passed by Aric Almirola on lap 79 and finishing Stage Two in fourth.
The final stage brought more challenges for Creed and the No. 00 team. Restarting fourth on lap 114, Creed stayed out under caution and briefly looked to make a move on the leaders three-wide but wisely backed out to avoid contact. With older tires, he began to slip through the field, falling to ninth by lap 138. After pitting for fresh tires and fuel under the lap 152 caution, Creed restarted ninth and quickly picked up a spot to eighth, where he would remain as the final 45 laps ran green for his 16th top-10 finish of the season.
41 Ryan Sieg
Ryan Sieg took the wheel of the No. 41 Audibel Ford in place of Sam Mayer for the season finale at Phoenix Raceway. Starting from the 10th position, Sieg showed competitive pace early, running comfortably inside the top 10 for much of the opening stage. Despite being passed late by Carson Kvapil, he finished Stage One in 11th, setting the tone for a solid day ahead.
During Stage Two, Sieg continued to show strong consistency, climbing back into the top 10 midway through the segment. The first two stages ran caution-free, and while the No. 41 Ford was slightly tight in traffic, Sieg maintained steady top-10 speed and secured a 10th-place finish in Stage Two.
Following the first natural caution of the race on lap 114, Sieg pitted for fresh tires and restarted 14th. The new rubber immediately paid off, as he charged forward to seventh by lap 138. Unfortunately, Sieg’s promising run came to an early end on lap 152 after contact in turn three sent the No. 41 into the wall, resulting in significant damage. The team was unable to continue, ending the day in 37th place despite showing top-10 potential throughout much of the event.
Up Next – The 2026 Season
Bowman Gray Stadium (Winston Salem, NC)
The NASCAR Cup Series “The Clash” – Sunday, February 1 on FOX Sports
Daytona International Speedway (Daytona, FL)
The O’Reily Auto Parts Series (Formerly Xfinity) – Saturday, February 14, 2026 on the CW Network.
The NASCAR Cup Series “Daytona 500” – Sunday, February 15 on FOX Sports
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.
