NASCAR: Decision reached after Stewart-Haas Racing disagreement

Stewart-Haas Racing co-owners Gene Haas and Tony Stewart reportedly did not agree on who to put in the #41 Ford for the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season.

For much of silly season, Cole Custer’s spot in Stewart-Haas Racing’s driver lineup for the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season was viewed as safe, even though his performance hadn’t been anything to write home about during his first three seasons with the team.

With father Joe Custer being a Stewart-Haas Racing executive, surely the 24-year-old Ladera Ranch, California native wouldn’t lose his seat, right?

But as time progressed — and as Custer’s top seven finish drought reached two full seasons — it became evident that he was not guaranteed to return to the #41 Ford for a fourth season next year.

Stewart-Haas Racing’s struggles during 2021 and 2022, specifically compared to a 2020 season during which they led the series in wins, were well-documented, but all three of Custer’s teammates found victory lane during that span, whereas Custer finished no higher than eighth place.

Team co-owner Gene Haas reportedly wanted to retain Custer for the 2023 season, but fellow co-owner Tony Stewart wanted to give an opportunity to Ryan Preece, who had signed with the team as their official reserve driver ahead of the 2022 season.

The team ultimately decided that Preece is set to replace Custer next year, with the latter set to move back to the Xfinity Series as a teammate to Riley Herbst.

Many expected Preece to replace Aric Almirola behind the wheel of the #10 Ford after Almirola announced that the 2022 season would be his last, especially since Preece had literally just signed as the team’s reserve driver days before Almirola made that announcement.

But even with Almirola having changed his mind, signing a multi-year contract extension with Stewart-Haas Racing, the 32-year-old Berlin, Connecticut native has landed a Cup Series opportunity with the organization for 2023 after all.

Preece competed full-time in the Cup Series from 2019 to 2021 with JTG Daugherty Racing.