Is Cole Custer’s experience enough to help Haas Factory Team secure a playoff spot in 2025?

After spending the last two seasons in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, Cole Custer returns to the Cup Series in 2025 to pilot the #41 Haas Factory Team Ford. The 26-year-old previously spent three seasons in the Cup Series and won in his rookie campaign at Kentucky in 2020.

With the California native back behind the wheel, the question will be whether or not the added experience in the Xfinity Series the last two seasons will benefit him in 2025. Custer took full advantage of his return to the Xfinity Series back in 2023 as he wheeled the #00 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford to the championship. In 2024, Custer again impressed and finished runner-up. He won five races across the two seasons.

Now, Custer returns to the Cup Series with a familiar number as he once piloted the #41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford from 2020-2022. Yet, the team is different as SHR ceased operations at the end of the 2024 campaign. Gene Haas, former co-owner at SHR with retired NASCAR champion Tony Stewart, remains in the sport as the owner of Haas Factory Team.

Custer once had three teammates when racing for SHR in the Cup Series. With the closing of SHR and opening of Haas Factory Team, the 15-time Xfinity Series winner is now on his own in a one-car team. With the focus solely on the #41 machine, this could bode well for Custer as he tries to make the playoffs.

Aside from his win at Kentucky in 2020, Cole Custer's Cup Series stats aren't anything to write home about. From 2020-2022, he recorded only 12 top 10s and two top fives. However, having gone back down to the Xfinity Series and been one of the top drivers, Custer has more experience under his belt this time around.

It isn't unheard of for a single-car team to make the playoffs either. Most recently, Harrison Burton won last year's Coke Zero Sugar 400 at the Daytona International Speedway behind the wheel of the #21 Ford, owned by the single-car organization in Wood Brothers Racing.

With more experience that included an Xfinity Series championship and an organization that's only focus will be his car, Custer has the opportunity to prove his doubters wrong and drive the Haas Factory Team #41 into the playoffs in 2025.

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Haas Factory Team revealed Cole Custer's paint scheme for 2025

Ahead of his return to the NASCAR Cup Series, Haas Factory Team revealed Cole Custer's new #41 Ford for the 2025 season. Custer will be sponsored by HaasTooling.com, a company owned by team owner Gene Haas.

Haas Factory Team took to social media to share the image of the fresh look to the #41 car. The team penned a caption that read:

"We've got the tools for success in 2025. 🧰 First glance at the No. 41 HaasTooling.com Ford Mustang Dark Horse that will be driven by Cole Custer in the #NASCAR Cup Series this season."

Haas Factory Team was formally Stewart-Haas Racing, co-owned by Haas and retired three-time Cup Series champion Tony Stewart. The team operated from 2009-2024 and won two championships, one with Stewart in 2011 and the other with Kevin Harvick in 2014. Cole Custer won an Xfinity Series title with SHR in 2023.