Haas Factory Team posted strong results at Las Vegas Motor Speedway while proudly representing Ford Racing throughout the weekend. In the Xfinity Series, Sam Mayer secured top-10 finishes in all stages, strengthening his playoff position, while Sheldon Creed rebounded from early handling issues to finish 11th. On Sunday, Cole Custer persevered through the Cup race, ultimately finishing 28th.

Xfinity Series

41 Sam Mayer
Sam Mayer finished among the top 10 in all three stages Saturday, gathering valuable stage points and fortifying his playoff hopes as the Round of 8 began. Rolling off 16th in the Audibel Ford, he quickly began picking off positions. An oil light issue surfaced on lap 16, but after resetting the gauges, Mayer continued to clock fast laps and it appeared there were no serious concerns. As the run progressed, his pace improved and he climbed to eighth by the end of the stage, earning three valuable stage points.

In Stage Two, Mayer’s team went to work on pit road, sending him back out in seventh. He continued to showcase speed, turning some of the fastest laps in the field. As the sun began to set, Mayer adapted well to the changing track conditions. He was able to smoothly navigate the turns, wrapping the corners tightly. Running consistently inside the top 10, Mayer finished eighth once again, banking more stage points.

The final stage brought a mix of challenges and opportunities, and Mayer rose to meet them. Restarting sixth, he initially slipped back to 10th as the car felt “edgy,” but he regained his rhythm as the run developed, working his way to ninth and eventually overtaking Brandon Jones for eighth with just over 60 laps remaining. After a green-flag pit cycle, a late caution bunched the field, and Mayer restarted 10th with 29 laps to go. He held his ground through the closing laps, bringing home a solid ninth-place finish. He now sits fourth in the standings, eight points above the cutline with two races remaining in the Round of 8.

“Everyone did a great job of getting this Ford Mustang ready to roll. We weren’t the best, but I think we deserved a little bit better than where we finished,” said Mayer. “Everybody did a great job getting us ready for this. We have some things to work out on pit road, but I’m excited for the next couple of weeks for sure since we’re coming out of here with a decent day.”

00 Sheldon Creed
A determined effort in Las Vegas helped Sheldon Creed move from eighth to sixth in the playoff standings, with two races remaining in the Round of 8. Starting 10th in the Ollie’s Ford, he initially slipped back through the field while searching for grip in the early laps. A timely caution allowed the team to make chassis adjustments, and he immediately noticed better drivability on the restart. Although Creed finished Stage One in 26th, his lap times improved as the run went on, setting the foundation for a comeback effort.

Stage Two saw Creed and his team continue to fine-tune the car. After pitting between stages for additional adjustments, he restarted 19th and steadily worked his way forward. As the sun began to set and track temperatures cooled, the No. 00 Ford adapted well to the changing conditions. The car displayed stronger pace, and Creed reported that it fired off much better. It was clear the team had made meaningful progress, improving by 11 positions to finish the stage 15th.

The final stage showcased just how far Creed and his team had come. Restarting 11th after another pit stop, he navigated a chaotic restart and settled into 12th. Midway through the stage, the team made more adjustments during a green-flag pit stop. When the pit cycle played out, Creed had climbed as high as fifth. After a late caution shuffled positions, he restarted sixth, briefly reclaimed fifth, and ultimately crossed the line 11th after the car tightened up in the closing laps. Sitting sixth in the standings, Creed’s playoff hopes remain strong after rebounding from a slow start Saturday.

“After practice and qualifying I thought we were going to be really strong there and that’s twice now that this new tire has thrown us for a loop like that. We’ll be pretty good in practice and then we start the race like 10 out of 10 loose, so that was challenging to start,” said Creed. “That’s twice that we’ve done that. I’m not blaming it on anyone because I’m equally telling the guys what I think I need for the race and it’s kind of sending us for a loop. Overall, not a terrible finish for our Ollie’s Ford Mustang and I appreciate everyone for the effort.”

HFT PR