NASCAR: Potential 2024 Aric Almirola replacement ruled out

Cole Custer is set to return to Stewart-Haas Racing’s NASCAR Xfinity Series team for the 2024 season, taking him out of the running to replace Aric Almirola.

Cole Custer announced this week that he is set to return to Stewart-Haas Racing’s NASCAR Xfinity Series team for a second consecutive season in 2024.

Custer, who competed for the team at NASCAR’s second highest level from 2017 to 2019, was promoted to the Cup Series in 2020. He remained in the Cup Series in 2021 and 2022, but an overall lack of performance led to his demotion back to the Xfinity Series in 2023, with Ryan Preece replacing him behind the wheel of the No. 41 Ford.

There were rumors that Custer, who is one of the four drivers set to compete for the Xfinity Series championship this weekend at Phoenix Raceway, could return to the Cup Series in 2024 as the replacement for Aric Almirola, who recently confirmed that he will not be back with Stewart-Haas Racing next year.

With Cole Custer confirming his NASCAR Xfinity Series return, that is now out of the question.

Both current Stewart-Haas Racing Xfinity Series drivers, Custer and Riley Herbst, have now confirmed that they are set to return to the team in 2024, officially taking them both out of the running to replace Almirola behind the wheel of the No. 10 Ford.

Noah Gragson continues to be viewed as the favorite to replace Almirola. Gragson, who struggled in his rookie season with Legacy Motor Club, was released by the team after posting just two top 20 finishes in 21 starts.

The release came after he was found to have “liked” an inappropriate social media meme and suspended, but there were rumors that he was going to be replaced anyway.

Whether Stewart-Haas Racing add Gragson or not, they will enter the 2024 season with Chase Briscoe as their longest tenured driver.

Briscoe joined the team in 2021 as Clint Bowyer’s replacement. Preece is wrapping up his first season with the team, while Josh Berry, whose Cup Series experience is limited to select starts as a substitute driver, has been confirmed as the full-time replacement for the retiring Kevin Harvick.

Stewart-Haas Racing are still seeking their first win since August 2022 and are on the verge of their first winless season since 2008, the year before they scored their first ever Cup Series victory.