HFT Weekend Preview: Bristol Motor Speedway
By Haas Factory Team
Friday O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Action:
Date: Friday, September 18th at 7:30 p.m. ET
Track: Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, TN
Race Distance: 300 laps / 159.9 miles
Broadcast: CW | PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Saturday Cup Series Action:
Date: Saturday, September 19th at 7:30 p.m. ET
Track: Bristol Motor Speedway, Bristol, TN
Race Distance: 500 laps / 266.5 miles
Broadcast: USA | PRN / SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
On-Track Activity:
Friday:
2 p.m. ET – O’Reilly Practice
CW App | PRN & SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
3:05 p.m. ET – O’Reilly Qualifying
CW App | PRN & SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
4:30 p.m. ET – Cup Practice
TruTV | PRN & SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
5:35 p.m. ET – Cup Qualifying
TruTV | PRN & SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
7:30 p.m. ET – O’Reilly Race
CW | PRN & SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Saturday:
7:30 p.m. ET – Cup Race
USA | PRN & SiriusXM NASCAR Radio
Race Weekend Quick Hits:
The annual Bristol Motor Speedway Night Race hosts the third race of the Chase for both the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series this weekend.
Sheldon Creed left World Wide Technology Raceway (WWTR) as the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase points leader after finishing runner-up last Saturday, earning his fifth consecutive top-10 finish.
After earning his first two career wins at EchoPark Speedway and Darlington Raceway, Creed has put together a breakout campaign, ranking second in the NOAPS in wins (2) and top-five finishes (11), while tying for the series lead in average finish (9.8) and top-10s (18).
Sam Mayer jumped four spots in the NOAPS Chase standings with a third-place finish at WWTR, tying his season-best result. It marked his second straight top-10 to open the Chase, moving him to 61 points behind his teammate Creed entering Bristol.
Cole Custer has six top-10 finishes in eight career O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starts at Bristol, including a 2024 victory. He also has three career NOAPS poles at “The World’s Fastest Half-Mile.”
Cup Driver Lineup:
No. 41 Driver: Cole Custer
Hometown: Ladera Ranch, CA
Crew Chief: Aaron Kramer
Partner: Texas A&M
Custer’s Bristol Cup Series History:
Starts: 7
Wins: —
Top-10s: 1
Poles: —
Key Numbers:
Custer makes his eighth Cup Series start at Bristol this weekend, where he owns a 26.3 average finish. He finished 33rd in last year’s fall race.
He has started inside the top 15 twice at Bristol, including a career-best 11th-place starting position in 2022, and holds a 22.9 average starting position.
O’Reilly Auto Parts Driver Lineup:
No. 00 Driver: Sheldon Creed
Hometown: Alpine, CA
Crew Chief: Jonathan Toney
Partner: Ollie’s
O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase Standings: 1st, +3 points
Creed’s Bristol O’Reilly Auto Parts Series History:
Starts: 6
Wins: —
Top-10s: 3
Poles: —
Key Numbers:
Creed is set to make his seventh O’Reilly Auto Parts Series start at Bristol on Friday, where he has three career top-10 finishes. He has finished runner-up in each of the past two fall races.
His best career starting position at Bristol is second, recorded earlier this year, and he owns a 15.0 average starting position across his six career O’Reilly Auto Parts Series starts.
Creed has led 62 laps at Bristol in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series, his third-most at any track behind Atlanta (137) and Darlington (130).
He also led 189 laps and earned the pole in his 2021 CRAFTSMAN Truck Series start at Bristol.
No. 41 Driver: Sam Mayer
Hometown: Franklin, WI
Crew Chief: Jason Trinchere
Partner: Starkey
O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Chase Standings:nTied for 5th, -61 points
Mayer’s Bristol O’Reilly Auto Parts Series History:
Starts: 7
Wins: —
Top-10s: 4
Poles: —
Key Numbers:
Mayer is in line to make his eighth O’Reilly Auto Parts Series start at Bristol this weekend, where he has four career top-10 finishes. He recorded a career-best third-place finish last fall.
He has qualified inside the top six in each of his last three Bristol starts, including a front-row starting spot last fall, and owns a 10.1 average starting position.
HFT WWTR Recap:
Sheldon Creed and Sam Mayer delivered a big points night for Haas Factory Team at WWTR last Saturday, finishing second and third to move Creed into the Chase points lead and Mayer up four spots into a tie for fifth in the standings. Cole Custer capped off a chaotic Cup Series race on Sunday with an 11th-place finish, earning the No. 41 team’s second-best result of the 2026 season.