Stage Points Power Mayer, Late Surge Lifts Creed in Xfinity Playoff Battle at Kansas
Custer Brings Home Top-20 Finish in Cup Race on Sunday
KANSAS CITY, KS (September 28, 2025) – Haas Factory Team delivered steady, determined performances at Kansas Speedway, gaining valuable ground in the NASCAR Xfinity Series Playoffs. Sam Mayer and Sheldon Creed each banked key stage points to solidify their spots above the Xfinity Series cutline, while Cole Custer overcame early challenges to earn a hard-fought top-20 finish in Sunday’s Cup race.
Xfinity Series
00 Sheldon Creed
Returning to the track where he made his NASCAR Cup Series debut in 2023, Sheldon Creed delivered a smart, strategic drive in his Ollie’s Ford to a fifth-place finish in the second race of the Xfinity Series Round of 12 — a result that boosted his playoff hopes with just one race remaining in the round.
Creed came into Kansas Speedway just seven points above the playoff cutline and qualified 10th. Early on, he slipped to 12th within the first 20 laps but quickly reported strong long-run speed. That pace showed over the course of the run, as he climbed to 11th by the end of Stage One — just outside the points-paying positions but clearly trending upward.
A four-tire stop during the stage break set up a stronger Stage Two. Restarting 11th, Creed steadily worked his way forward, cracking the top 10 by lap 60. Despite handling issues — tight in the center and free on exit — he managed the balance well and finished ninth in the stage, earning one valuable playoff point.
That momentum carried into the final stage as Creed jumped to seventh on the restart and held his ground during the green-flag cycle, making a pit stop on lap 141. A caution at lap 157 opened the door for one more round of adjustments, and after pitting under yellow, Creed used both strategy and speed to surge into the top five. Over the final 25 laps, he held firm to claim a well-earned fifth-place finish at the checkered flag — a key result as the Round of 12 heads to its final showdown.
“I would love to be a little bit more than 12 points above, but we just grinded it out all day in our Ollie’s Ford Mustang. Honestly, we weren’t really good to start the race and just kept trying to get better and better. We took big swings at it there and got a little track position and was able to hold on. We almost got to fourth there at the line, but I’m just proud of everyone at Haas Factory Team.”
Entering the final race of the Round of 12 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series playoffs at the ROVAL, Creed is in sixth place in the standings with 2072 points, +12 above the cutline.
41 Sam Mayer
In the second race of the NASCAR Xfinity Series Round of 12, Sam Mayer entered with a comfortable 35-point cushion above the playoff cutline — and he managed to widen that margin with strong performances in the opening stages, despite a tough finish that saw him come home 16th in his Audibel Ford.
Rolling off third on the starting grid, Mayer showed immediate speed in a car that came to life early. By lap 20, he felt confident he had one of the best cars on the track, maintaining a spot inside the top three throughout the opening run. That pace paid off, as he finished third in Stage One, banking eight valuable stage points toward his playoff total.
Following a four-tire stop during the stage break, Mayer lined up third to begin Stage Two. A caution on lap 62 briefly shuffled the field, but Mayer made the most of the restart — fighting through a loose-handling car to reclaim third. He held steady to finish the stage in the same position, adding another eight stage points to his tally, for a total of 16 on the day heading into the final segment.
The final stage proved to be more challenging. While battling hard with fellow playoff driver Sammy Smith, Mayer got loose and dropped back to sixth. A green-flag pit stop on lap 140 set him up for a strong run to the finish, and when a caution flew on lap 157, Mayer chose to stay out, restarting on the front row. However, on older tires and still struggling with handling, he faded through the field over the closing laps and ultimately finished 16th.
“We did a fantastic job today. We came here looking for points and we got that the first few stages, so we nailed everything that we wanted to do the first two stages. Obviously, the strategy call didn’t pan out in our favor, but it’s still a great day. I’m really proud of everybody at Haas Factory Tea,. I wanted more, obviously, as a race car driver, but I’m still really grateful for the spot that we’re in.”
Entering the final race of the Round of 12 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series playoffs at the ROVAL, Mayer sits fourth in the standings with 2103 points, +43 points to the cutline.
Cup Series
41 Cole Custer
Cole Custer showed persistence and steady improvement throughout Sunday’s race at Kansas Speedway, overcoming handling challenges to bring home a 20th-place finish. After qualifying 27th and battling a tight race car early, Custer and the No. 41 team continued to make adjustments that paid off in the closing laps.
Throughout the race, the car’s balance proved to be a challenge — tight at the start of runs and loose as laps wore on — but the team stayed focused, making key under-the-hood changes and capitalizing on every opportunity. A well-timed caution allowed Custer to take the wave-around and regain a lead-lap position early, while further adjustments during Stage Two helped improve the car’s long-run speed. By the final stage, Custer was able to gain positions steadily and avoid trouble, moving into the top 25 as the laps wound down.
After receiving the free pass with 50 laps to go, Custer restarted on the lead lap and quickly gained ground, climbing as high as 22nd. A late caution with 14 laps remaining set up a critical four-tire stop, and Custer delivered on the restart — charging forward in his Haas/Andy’s Ford and holding his own in a competitive pack to finish 20th.
“Our guys did a good job sticking with and we made something out of it at the end,” Custer said. “Hopefully we can carry some momentum over to the ROVAL next week and see what we can do.”
Up Next
Charlotte Motor Speedway Road Course (Concord, NC)
The Xfinity Series – Saturday, October 4th at 5:00 p.m. ET on the CW Network.
The NASCAR Cup Series – Sunday, October 5th at 3:00 p.m. ET on USA Network
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.
