SS-GreenLight Racing announced Friday that Cole Custer will return for five NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series races in 2026.
MOORESVILLE, N.C. – SS-GreenLight Racing announced Friday that former NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series champion Cole Custer will return to the organization for five NOAPS races in 2026.
SS-GreenLight Racing Custer will drive the organization's No. 0 Chevrolet on a limited basis in NOAPS, in addition to driving Haas Factory Team's No. 41 Chevrolet on a full-time basis in the NASCAR Cup Series. 2026 will mark Custer's first NOAPS starts since 2024 -- the year before he moved up to the No. 41 car.
Custer has 15 wins, 69 top-five finishes, 119 top-10 finishes and 21 poles in 176 NOAPS starts. His career has taken many twists, from earning his first of nine wins in his first NOAPS tenure from 2017 to 2019, to earning five wins and the 2023 title in his second tenure from 2023 to 2024 after bowing out of Cup.
In between the two tenures was a win for SS-GreenLight at Auto Club Speedway in 2022. To date, that Auto Club win is the organization's lone win.
“Having Cole back in our car is an honor. We’ve been lucky to share success and we hope to have more this season,” SS GreenLight owner Bobby Dotter said. “We are stepping up our program this year with lease motors and new personnel and Cole will be a big part of that effort.”
Custer has a NASCAR Cup Series win to his name -- in June 2020 at Kentucky Speedway. His first year back in Cup in 2025 saw him earn two top-fives and three top-10s, with a best finish of fourth at Daytona in August -- a race he nearly won.
The 2026 season will see him return to Chevrolet for the first time since early on in his career. SS-GreenLight following suit means the reunion can happen.
"I’m thankful for the opportunity to return to the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series and compete with SS GreenLight Racing and Chevrolet. I’m really looking forward to working with Bobby and the entire team over these five races. Our goal is to have strong runs every time we unload and put ourselves in position to race for wins and get to Victory Lane," Custer said.
It's unknown when Custer's first start in the No. 0 car will take place. The organization already named Garrett Smithley as the car's anchor driver in 2026 -- and Alex Labbe as the driver for all of the road course races.