CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Gene Haas, the co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR), will start a new team after his current operation shuts down at the end of 2024.
Haas Factory Team will begin fielding one car in the NASCAR Cup Series and two cars in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2025, the team announced on Thursday. Drivers have not been named for any of the rides.
The Cup Series team will retain one of the charters from the four-car SHR after the team ends operations after the 2024 season.
"My commitment to motorsports hasn’t changed, just the scope of my involvement,” Haas said in a release. “Operating a four-car Cup Series team has become too arduous but, at the same time, I still need a platform to promote Haas Automation and grow HaasTooling.com.
Kannapolis-based SHR announced it was closing in May, leaving four valuable charters for the taking. Front Row Motorsports announced it was buying one of those charters. Trackhouse Racing and 23XI Racing are rumored to be interested in the other two charters but nothing has been announced at this time.
Haas fielded NASCAR teams well before his partnership with Tony Stewart started in 2009. Haas CNC Racing began in 2002 and went full-time in the Cup Series in 2003.
Ward Burton, Jeff Green, and Jeremy Mayfield were among the drivers who raced for Haas during his first years in NASCAR. He joined Stewart ahead of the 2009 season and was a championship car owner by 2011. Kevin Harvick won the team a second title in 2014.
SHR fields full-time rides for Chase Briscoe, Noah Gragson, Josh Berry, and Ryan Preece in the Cup Series. Cole Custer and Riley Herbst drive for SHR's two rides in the Xfinity Series.
While no official announcement has been made, there is speculation that the Cup Series ride will go to Custer, whose father, Joe Custer, will be the president of the Haas Factory Team. Cole Custer won the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship with SHR and has one victory in the NASCAR Cup Series.