The 2025 NASCAR season has been a challenging one for Haas Factory Racing, especially as a single-car team trying to compete against the sport’s best. Speaking on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, team leader Joe Custer admitted.
“We’re excited about a single car platform, but we’ve gotta get it right. And the results speak for themselves.”
Haas Factory Racing has had flashes of brilliance this year, including strong performances at Daytona, but consistency remains elusive.
The team is now taking bold steps to evolve its operations, refine its strategy, and align with Hendrick Motorsports in a move Custer calls more of a reunion than a new partnership.
The Challenge of Running a Single-Car Team
Custer was candid about the difficulties faced by smaller teams in the NASCAR ecosystem. “It really starts in starting the weekend, delivering a race car that has more potential in it on a consistent basis,” Joe Custer said.
For Haas Factory Racing, that involves paying close attention to shop preparation, engineering relationships, and data analysis. He emphasized that smaller teams have huge potential but need to approach problems differently to succeed.
“They just have to look at it differently, and that’s what we’re doing. We’re trying to evolve from a large organization mindset to a nimble, smaller organization that takes advantage of its strengths and looks for solutions in areas it needs to improve and doesn’t hide from it,” Joe Custer explained.
The focus isn’t just on quick fixes; it’s about building sustainable processes that can make Haas competitive week in and week out.
The lessons learned from 2025 are already shaping the team’s approach to the next season, with an emphasis on improving consistency rather than relying on occasional standout performances.
The Haas-Hendrick Partnership: A Strategic Reunion
The team’s evolution is closely tied to its renewed alliance with Hendrick Motorsports.
According to Custer, the relationship is deep-rooted: “Rick Hendrick himself brought us into this sport. Gene, he’s a patient man, but he demands improvement. Make no mistake. We’re not here to do the same thing over next year without addressing these clear issues we have.”
“The relationship with Haas and Rick Hendrick was formed years ago via Haas Automation, which manufactures and sells CNC machines”, per Tim Packman.
“Personally, I have a deep history with Chevrolet and Hendrick Motorsports,” Haas said. “Both helped in establishing not only my presence as a team owner in NASCAR, but also the presence of Haas Automation.
“Together, we were able to build a race team that competed for wins and championships while growing the use of Haas CNC machinery throughout the racing and manufacturing industries.”
This alliance is about accountability and maximizing resources, not shortcuts. Tough decisions have been made to ensure the team has a trajectory toward winning, and Custer emphasized that Hendrick’s standards leave no room for complacency.
Custer encourages fans to pay attention to smaller teams like Haas, highlighting that with the right approach, preparation, and partnerships, they can punch above their weight.
The 2025 season has been a learning curve, and with the Hendrick collaboration, Haas Factory Racing is positioning itself to make a bigger impact in the years to come.
Joe Custer Talks 2025 Struggles and Hendrick Motorsports Partnership With Haas Factory Racing