Aaron Kramer will be Cole Custer’s crew chief in the NASCAR Cup Series next season at Haas Factory Team.
Kramer is currently the lead engineer on the No. 17 team for Chris Buescher at RFK Racing where he has been since 2021. Previously, Kramer worked on the No. 6 team as the secondary race engineer. He has been with RFK Racing since 2016 and his other roles include electoral and data systems engineer and lead race engineer on the Xfinity Series program.
RKF Racing will have an alliance with Haas Factory Team in 2025. Kramer will join the organization at the conclusion of the season.
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“Aaron’s engineering pedigree and his history with RFK Racing are great assets for Haas Factory Team,” team president Joe Custer said. “We’re proud to have him join our team. NASCAR, and the Cup Series in particular, has become very engineering-driven. Limited track time and the nuances of the Next Gen car have put a premium on simulation and data, and to really maximize all that information, you need people who can apply that information to the car and work closely with the driver to fine-tune the car. Aaron is that person, and we’re confident he can build a team of like-minded people who will have our race team ready to go in 2025.”
Haas Factory Team will field one Cup Series entry for Custer. Gene Haas is staying in the sport with one charter after announcing he and Tony Stewart were shuttering Stewart-Haas Racing at the end of this season.
Custer will return to the Cup Series after two seasons in the Xfinity Series, where he won the 2023 championship.
“This is a great opportunity and I’m grateful for it,” Kramer said. “I’ve been working toward the crew chief position since I was racing go-karts in high school. It’s a proud moment to have it come with Haas Factory Team. Their alliance with RFK makes the learning curve a little less steep because I’m very familiar with the people and processes at RFK.
“Having Cole as the driver is a huge asset. He’s highly motivated and dedicated to his craft. He puts in the time away from the track so that he’s ready every time he climbs into the race car. That’s what you want as a crew chief. We’re going to push each other and support each other to get the best results possible.”
Said Custer, “I’m very happy to have Aaron join Haas Factory Team. Crew chief is a crucial piece in the makeup of a race team and Aaron brings a lot to our program. His background will really be a plus for me and our whole organization. Both of us still have jobs to do this year, but it’s refreshing to know that he’ll be my guy on top of the pit box next year.”