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NASCAR Xfinity Series at Gateway: Unpacking the Nu Way 200 Starting Lineup

Sarah Talker

When you’re staring down the final race of the NASCAR Xfinity Series regular season, the last thing you want is a shake-up in your starting lineup. But for the Haas Factory Team, the weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway just became a masterclass in adapting on the fly. After announcing a monumental manufacturer switch and a technical alliance with Hendrick Motorsports for 2026, the team found itself dealing with a classic NASCAR curveball.

A pre-race inspection failure that led to a key engineer being sent packing. It’s the kind of gut-punch that reminds you how unforgiving this sport can be. One minute, you’re riding high on the promise of a brighter future; the next, you’re scrambling to fill a void in your at-track brain trust.

The Setback at Gateway: What Went Wrong

For Cole Custer and the No. 41 crew, Saturday’s Xfinity Series inspection process at Gateway turned into a nightmare. The car failed technical inspection not once, but twice. In NASCAR’s world, that’s a cardinal sin. The penalty was swift and severe: engineer Marc Hendricksen was ejected from the track, leaving the team shorthanded for the entire race weekend.

Losing an engineer is more than just being down a person. It’s like a quarterback losing his offensive coordinator right before the Super Bowl. These are the individuals who live and breathe data, translating feedback into precise adjustments that can shave precious tenths of a second off a lap time. Now, that critical link between driver and machine has been severed.

To add insult to injury, the Haas Factory Team also lost its Xfinity pit selection privileges. Instead of choosing a prime spot on pit road, they’ll be at the mercy of NASCAR officials. It might seem like a small thing, but a bad pit box can cost you valuable track position and turn a decent day into a frustrating struggle. For a smaller organization in Xfinity like the Haas Factory Team, which doesn’t have the deep bench of the powerhouse teams, setbacks like these sting a little bit more.

A Cloud Over a Landmark Announcement

The timing of this Xfinity Series drama couldn’t be more ironic. Just a day before the inspection woes, the Haas Factory Team was the talk of the garage. They officially announced their shift from Ford to Chevrolet in 2026, a move that a game-changing technical alliance with Hendrick Motorsports will bolster.

This partnership is a massive statement of intent, signaling that the Haas Factory Team is serious about climbing the competitive ladder. The team also solidified its future by confirming Cole Custer will remain behind the wheel of the No. 41, providing crucial stability during a period of transition.

Their Xfinity program, which will see Sheldon Creed and Sam Mayer return, also got a new name, rebranding as the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. Everything was pointing up. This weekend was supposed to be about building on that positive momentum. Instead, it became a reminder that in racing, you’re only as good as your last pass through the inspection bay.

The Challenge Ahead: Navigating the Nu Way 200

As the green flag waves for the Xfinity Series Nu Way 200, all eyes will be on how the depleted Haas Factory Team responds. While Connor Zilisch and Nick Sanchez lead the starting lineup from the front row, Custer will have to dig deep. Gateway is a tricky, flat oval where handling is everything.

Without Hendricksen’s expertise, the communication between Custer and his crew chief will be more critical than ever. It’s a pressure cooker, for sure. But this is also where champions are forged. It’s an opportunity for Custer to prove his mettle and for the entire team to show they can rally in the face of adversity.

Sometimes, when your back is against the wall, you find a gear you didn’t know you had. The team can’t change what happened in the inspection line, but they can control how they race. They have a chance to turn a negative into a story of resilience, and in NASCAR, those are the stories that define a team’s character.

Nu Way 200: Xfinity Series (Starting Lineup)

  • 1. Connor Zilisch, No. 88 (JR Motorsports, Chevrolet)
  • 2. Nick Sanchez, No. 48 (Big Machine Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 3. William Sawalich, No. 18 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
  • 4. Sam Mayer, No. 41 (JR Motorsports, Chevrolet)
  • 5. Taylor Gray, No. 54 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
  • 6. Harrison Burton, No. 25 (AM Racing, Ford)
  • 7. Aric Almirola, No. 19 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
  • 8. Carson Kvapil, No. 1 (JR Motorsports, Chevrolet)
  • 9.  Austin Hill, No. 21 (Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 10. Christian Eckes, No. 16 (Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 11. Daniel Dye, No. 10 (Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 12. Brandon Jones, No. 20 (Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota)
  • 13. Ryan Sieg, No. 39 (RSS Racing, Ford)
  • 14. Justin Allgaier, No. 7 (JR Motorsports, Chevrolet)
  • 15. Sheldon Creed, No. 00 (Haas Factory Team, Ford)
  • 16. Corey Day, No. 17 (Hendrick Motorsports, Chevrolet)
  • 17. Daniel Hemric, No. 11 (Kaulig Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 18. Jesse Love, No. 2 (Richard Childress Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 19. Jeb Burton, No. 27 (Jordan Anderson Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 20. Kyle Sieg, No. 28 (RSS Racing, Ford)
  • 21. Anthony Alfredo, No. 42 (Young’s Motorsports, Chevrolet)
  • 22. Sammy Smith, No. 8 (JR Motorsports, Chevrolet)
  • 23. Matt DiBenedetto, No. 99 (Viking Motorsports, Chevrolet)
  • 24. Kole Raz, No. 76 (AM Racing, Ford)
  • 25. Blaine Perkins, No. 31 (Jordan Anderson Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 26. Parker Retzlaff, No. 4 (Alpha Prime Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 27. Brennan Poole, No. 44 (Alpha Prime Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 28. Jordan Anderson, No. 32 (Jordan Anderson Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 29. Thomas Annunziata, No. 70 (Cope Family Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 30. Dean Thompson, No. 26 (Sam Hunt Racing, Toyota)
  • 31. Jeremy Clements, No. 51 (Jeremy Clements Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 32. Ryan Ellis, No. 71 (DGM Racing X JIM, Chevrolet)
  • 33. Garrett Smithley, No. 14 (SS GreenLight Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 34. Nick Leitz, No. 07 (SS GreenLight Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 35. Glen Reen, No. 35 (Joey Gase Motorsports, Chevrolet)
  • 36. Lavar Scott, No. 45 (Alpha Prime Racing, Chevrolet)
  • 37. Matt Mills, No. 91 (DGM Racing X JIM, Chevrolet)
  • 38. Joey Gase, No. 53 (Joey Gase Motorsports, Chevrolet)

Sarah is a writer with a passion for delivering interesting yet informative news stories about motorsports including NASCAR, IMSA, F1, and IndyCar. She has covered the Daytona 500 and the Wurth 400 live and is highly passionate about sharing her knowledge and expertise across the motorsports industry.

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