It’s heartbreaking not to see Stewart-Haas Racing be a part of the Cup Series in 2025. This will cause a lot of changes in NASCAR in the coming months. With Tony Stewart and Gene Haas putting their charters on sale, interesting times lie ahead. However, there seems to be a twist in the tale.

While Gene Haas started his own Cup Series team in 2002, it only achieved more success after Tony Stewart joined in as a co-owner in 2009. With the NHRA drag racing arena looking more attractive to Smoke, his exit from the Cup Series looked inevitable in the past few months. However, it is rumored that his partner might remain active in NASCAR’s top tier next year. How?

An alternate plan is in place for the Cup Series despite the SHR shutdown!

Over the past few years, Tony Stewart has evidently diverted himself into several motorsport activities. While his love for NASCAR hasn’t changed, his commitment to the sport has varied. Understandably, it has become tedious for him, which is why he, along with Gene Haas, opted to exit at the end of the 2024 season.

While Stewart looks to be completely out of the picture, the same cannot be said about the co-owner, Gene Haas. With Stewart-Haas Racing struggling in the Cup Series, the same hasn’t been the case in the Xfinity Series. Having won the championship in NASCAR’s second-tier competition last year with Cole Custer, the dynamics could look different for him.

Recently, NASCAR insider Eric Estepp and driver Brennan Poole discussed on YouTube, the situation with Gene Haas and his future plans. Per the two, it is rumored that there are chances of Haas’s people sticking around and operating an Xfinity Series team in some capacity next year. Poole said, “Ya, I think it’ll just be Haas and it’ll probably be, I think I’m hearing that they’re still going to have the two Xfinity cars. So I’m assuming the 98 and the 00 will stay the same. But you know I’ve heard all kinds of rumors too.”

Another interesting speculation is the possibility of Cole Custer running a Cup Series charter next season. Interestingly, this charter might be one of the four charges on the market through SHR. Now, although it is unclear about the number of charters owned by Tony Stewart and Gene Haas individually, it is possible that the latter could still own one in the Cup Series come the 2025 season.

Additionally, with the update on charters, Front Row Motorsports has already purchased one of the four charters. While 23XI Racing and Trackhouse Racing have been linked to purchasing one charter each, one charter still remains available. Based on all this information, both Estepp and Poole have speculated about the possibility of Gene Haas being present in the Cup Series next season.

Should Gene Haas choose to do so, Cole Custer is definitely one of the brightest options. After all, he knows what it takes to win a Cup Series race.

Is Cole Custer the right choice if Gene Haas decides to compete in the 2025 Cup Series?

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Last year, for the first time in Stewart-Haas Racing, the team failed to register even a single victory. While that indicated the team’s downfall, Gene Haas wouldn’t want it to happen if he were to compete next year. With just a single charter, Haas would risk putting all his eggs in one basket and would need a driver well-suited to provide at least a win.

Considering the requirements, Cole Custer does look like a good option. Last year, with 15 top-five finishes, 22 top-ten finishes, and three race victories, Custer cruised to the championship. This comes after he was demoted to the Xfinity Series in search of his lost form.

While Custer couldn’t have responded better, it certainly gave a glimpse of his capabilities. More importantly, it would have encouraged Gene Haas to consider whether the team co-owner opts to compete with a single charter in 2025. After all, Custer has Cup Series experience under his belt as well.

With three Cup Series seasons at SHR, Custer enjoyed a single win, two top-five finishes, and 12 top-ten finishes. While he could have done better, he could turn around should Gene Haas give him a chance next year. But first, it would be interesting to see if Haas has such motivation to remain competitive in the Cup Series. Hopefully, within the next few months, we will get a clear picture.