Sheldon Creed and Sam Mayer both drive for powerhouse Xfinity Series organizations, so why would they move on from their respective teams to join Haas Factory Team on a multi-year deal?
The answer, as it turns out, is very straightforward.
"Obviously, the angle is Cup," Creed explained Saturday at Michigan. "So what is Haas Factory tied to? Where is it going? They have an alliance with RFK moving forward.
"And I think for me, it was a multiple-year contract going forward. Where can I grow more in Xfinity? Where can I win races? And Haas Factory seemed to be the place for me."
Mayer saw a similar upside with the move to Haas Factory Team. The Wisconsin native has been vocal this season about his goal of moving to the Cup Series, and he expressed frustration about the lack of discussion surrounding his future after winning at Iowa.
Moving to the No. 41 Ford Mustang in 2025 can potentially help Mayer achieve his goals of contending for a Cup Series ride.
"I mean, I will stand by what I said," Mayer explained. "I want to go Cup racing really badly and like I said, this is a step in that direction. I feel like Haas Factory Team is going to do a really good job about development.
"Developing me on the track and off the track that way I can be the number one top prospect to go to Cup. Obviously, that's now a couple years down the line or whatever the good Lord has in store for me. But I think that this opportunity in and of itself is really, really good."
The move to Cup will not be immediate. Creed and Mayer are both locked up at Haas Factory Team for at least one year, so their focus will remain on winning Xfinity races and contending for championships. Cole Custer will lead the organization on the Cup side as he returns to the No. 41 Ford.
Tony Stewart's name may not be attached to the organization after the 2024 season, but Haas Factory Team President Joe Custer expects to see a similar level of success from the two new drivers in the stable.
"It's a big day for Haas Factory Team," Custer said. "For these two fellas to believe in our program enough, it says a lot.
"We plan on dominating next year and if we don't, I'll be responsible for that because we certainly have the drivers that can get it done. I think we're going to give you a lot to talk about."