Kevin Harvick reveals the only driver who can “make a career” with Haas Factory Team

Kevin Harvick has some bold opinions about the future Gene Haas’ NASCAR team.

Kevin Harvick reveals the only driver who can “make a career” with Haas Factory Team

Kevin Harvick (Via IMAGO)

The 2024 NASCAR Cup season witnessed some massive announcement over the future of different teams. One of the craziest one of them was the Stewart Haas Racing’s decision to cease all their operations at the end of the season. But it won’t be the end of Gene Haas legacy in NASCAR as he isn’t going out of the sport.

It was confirmed last week that SHR will now become the Haas Factory Team, a one car Cup series team which will also continue to run their two car Xfinity Series operation. Gene Haas will remain as the owner and Joe Custer will lead the team as the president. While talking about the same, ex-SHR driver Kevin Harvick named the perfect fit for the team as the driver for 2025 and beyond.

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He reckons they should promote 2023 Xfinity Series champion Cole Custer back to the Cup series again and give him a second chance. Harvick asserted that though there would be nepotism claims because Joe is Cole’s father, the racer has proved multiple times in the past that he has earned his place in NASCAR with race wins and championships.

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Cole Custer gets drugged in the middle of all this stuff. It’s his dad [Joe Custer] running the team, and Cole does a heel of a job. Cole does a great job. I just feel like that if Cole could ever break out of this whole thing with the [Gene] Haas and Joe and all the family ties, I believe he could make a career out of this.
Kevin Harvick said via Happy Hour podcast.

Kevin Harvick asserts Cole Custer should drive for the team

The 2014 Cup champion while further talking on the point highlighted that Custer is the only driver with in the ranks of the team capable of handling all the baggage of the new team and succeed despite the negativity. He added that the Xfinity driver does have the experience and success to be in the seat.

Cole Custer
Cole Custer (Via IMAGO)
I think that there’s just so many things, so much baggage that goes with the situation right now. Let’s just say this, if it’s going to be a one-car team it better be Cole Custer driving it…He’s the most experienced driver that you can go get. He’s within all the things that are entangled into the Haas and Joe Custer situation. Cole has been able to deal with it and succeed and do the things that he needs.
Kevin Harvick said.

Last week when asked about the opportunity, Custer had said that he would really like get back to the Cup series with Gene Haas’ team. Cole Custer is one of the few drivers in the current Xfinity garage that deserves a Cup seat and it would be interesting to see where he would land in 2025.

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