Current Stewart Hass Racing driver frontrunner to join Gene Haas' new NASCAR team in 2025

As per NASCAR insider, Bob Pockrass, Cole Custer is expected to stay with the Stewart-Haas Racing team. Stewart-Haas Racing had decided to cease operations following the 2024 season and sell all four of its charters. However, Gene Haas recently declared that he would remain a team owner in the NASCAR Cup Series and run under a single charter.

Pockrass believes that since Haas already sponsors Custer, he might be the one driving the one Cup car that Gene Haas has decided to retain. Additionally, the team will maintain a two-car lineup in the Xfinity Series.

Even though Cole Custer has not yet won a race in 2024, a post by Bob Pockrass indicates that he is the most likely contender to pilot Gene Haas' Next Gen charter for the upcoming season. Here's what Pockrass wrote:

"Would think Cole Custer, since he's already sponsored by Haas, would have solid shot at this Cup ride (if Haas didn't retain a charter, would think more possible Custer to Front Row w/Haas sponsorship). Whether team has alliance, assembles its own cars, etc., all likely TBD."

However, the future of other Stewart-Haas Racing drivers, including Noah Gragson, Josh Berry, Riley Herbst, and Ryan Preece, remains uncertain. The only driver who is rumored to get into a team [Joe Gibbs Racing] is Chase Briscoe.

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Cole Custer's 2024 season with Stewart-Haas Racing so far

The 2024 season marks ten years since Custer joined NASCAR. He won his first race the same year at New Hampshire, beating Bubba Wallace by 1.148 seconds. In his current season, he has finished in the top-10 in 12 of his last 13 races, including six top-5 finishes.

During this recent stretch, Custer secured sixth place at Portland International Raceway, ninth at Sonoma Raceway, and another sixth at Iowa Speedway. The upcoming Sci Aps 200 will be Custer's fifth Xfinity Series appearance in New Hampshire.

Beyond the Xfinity Series, the #00 driver has also competed eight times at New Hampshire in other series—four times in the NASCAR Cup Series, three in the NASCAR Truck Series, and once in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series. He has been able to secure victories in the 2014 Truck Series and the 2013 K&N Pro Series.

Between 2017 and 2019, before he came back to the Xfinity Series after two years in the Cup driving the #41 car for SHR, he consistently finished in the top 10 at New Hampshire. His best result came from finishing in second place in 2019 after Christopher Bell narrowly defeated him.

Currently, Custer, the #00 Stewart-Haas Racing driver, leads the standings with 547 points, including six top-5 finishes and 12 top-10 finishes.