Haas Factory Team has officially confirmed its crew chief and car chief lineup heading into the 2026 NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series (formerly Xfinity Series) season. The team confirmed the lineup in a post on X on Tuesday morning.
NEWS: Craig Smokstad has been elevated to Car Chief of the No. 41 for Sam Mayer in 2026. ??
??Jason Trinchere will remain the Crew Chief for Sam Mayer.
??Jonathan Toney & Chris Letourneau will continue to lead the charge for Sheldon Creed and the No. 00 crew. @TheCW_Sports |… pic.twitter.com/96TOO9iLsB
— Haas Factory Team (@HaasFactoryTeam) December 16, 2025
Craig Smokstad, who was listed as a mechanic for Haas Factory Team during the 2025 season, has been elevated to Car Chief for the No. 41 Chevrolet with driver Sam Mayer in 2026. Smokstad takes over for Thomas Fleming, who had previously served as the No. 41 team’s Car Chief.
Smokstad will be paired with Crew Chief Jason Trinchere, who returns for another season with the No. 41 team in 2026.
The pairing of Trinchere and Mayer proved to be potent in 2025 as the duo scored a win at Iowa Speedway and advanced to the Round of 8 of the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Playoffs before being eliminated at Martinsville Speedway.
Mayer would end up 10th in the final championship standings due to a suspension in the season’s final race at Phoenix Raceway, which came in response to a dust-up with Jeb Burton at Martinsville. Smokstad, Trinchere, and Mayer will look to take a step forward together in 2026.
As for Sheldon Creed’s No. 00 team, there will be no changes. Jonathan Toney will return as the Crew Chief for the California native, and Chris Letourneau will reprise his role as the Car Chief for the effort.
Creed, who finished ninth in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series standings in 2025, continues to seek his first career win in the series. The driver, who racked up eight wins in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series between 2020 and 2021 and won the 2021 series championship, has recorded 15 runner-up finishes in NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series competition, but has yet to break through for his first win.
He’ll look to snag that elusive first win this year with Haas Factory Team, which will switch to Chevrolet in a partnership with Hendrick Motorsports in 2026.
