What’s Happening?
NASCAR Silly Season never stops with moves going beyond major signings and personal changes. Ahead of the new year, a handful of teams at the sport’s highest levels are switching manufacturers.
NASCAR Cup Series
The Haas Factory Team
What’s Happening?
The Haas Factory Team, the team owned by long-time NASCAR owner Gene Haas, will switch to Chevrolet in both…
After technically just one season of NASCAR Cup Series competition, the Haas Factory Team is switching its NASCAR Cup Series single-car operation from Fords to Chevrolets in 2026. The team will once again field Cole Custer, with Hendrick Motorsports engines powering the No. 41.
This is an odd full-circle moment for the team, as its roots can be traced back to Stewart-Haas Racing. SHR, of course, began in 2009 as a joint venture between current HFT owner Gene Haas and NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart, where the team raced Chevrolets until the 2017 season, when they joined Ford.
Rick Ware Racing
What’s Happening?
NASCAR Cup Series team Rick Ware Racing is reportedly making a switch from Ford to Chevrolet in 2026, making…
Rick Ware Racing was the second NASCAR Cup Series team to announce its defection ahead of the 2026 season. Much like its brethren at the Haas Factory Team, RWR is switching to Chevrolet, though this will be through an alliance with Richard Childress Racing.
Though many fans associate RWR with Ford, the team has a deep history with Chevrolet. Prior to dedicating their efforts to Ford in 2022, starting in 2017, the team entered Chevrolet alongside occasional Fords and Toyotas.
NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series
The Haas Factory Team
The Haas Factory Team’s switch to Chevrolet hit Ford on two fronts, with most of the damage happening in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. In 2026, HFT will move both its No. 00 and No. 41 NASCAR OAP Series entries to Chevrolet, just like its Cup Series team.
This move had a much larger impact on Ford in the NASCAR OAP Series, as it cut the manufacturer down to three entries for 2026. However, this number would once again drop ahead of the coming year.
RSS Racing
What’s Happening?
The Haas Factory team may not be the only NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series team leaving Ford ahead of…
RSS Racing and its two full-time entries are following the Haas Factory Team to Chevrolet in the new year. This announcement, which followed up on HFT’s prior announcement, brought Ford’s presence in the series down to just one team.
Though this left Ford with just one team, the manufacturer recovered. AM Racing, now under new ownership as SPS Racing, is keeping its ties to the blue oval, and Hettinger Racing, known for its efforts in grassroots racing, is joining Ford as a full-time NASCAR OAP Series team in 2026.
What’s Happening?
Ford is getting its footing back in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series with the addition of Hettinger Racing…
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