Sam Mayer Shocks with Haas Factory Team Pole at EchoPark

Mayer ends RCR's streak in NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series qualifying

Published on Feb. 21, 2026

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In a surprising outcome at the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series event, Sam Mayer captured the pole position driving the No. 41 Audibel Chevrolet for Haas Factory Team. Mayer's impressive qualifying speed of 31.804 seconds, translating to 174.318 mph, marked his fourth career pole in the series and highlighted a significant shift at the drafting circuits that include Daytona, EchoPark, and Talladega.

Why it matters

This pole is the third for Haas Factory Team since its rebranding and departure from Stewart-Haas Racing after the 2024 season, marking the fifth time Gene Haas has earned a pole as a car owner in this series. This achievement underscores the team's growing competitiveness and momentum within NASCAR's second-tier racing circuit.

The details

Joining Mayer on the front row is Carson Kvapil, who will start second after matching his career-best starting position. Taylor Gray earned the third starting spot as he continues to develop in his sophomore NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series season, while Sheldon Creed, Mayer's teammate at Haas Factory Team, secured fourth place on the grid.

  • The qualifying session took place on Saturday, February 21, 2026 at EchoPark Speedway.

The players

Sam Mayer

The driver of the No. 41 Audibel Chevrolet for Haas Factory Team, who captured the pole position.

Haas Factory Team

The NASCAR team that Mayer drives for, which has rebranded and departed from Stewart-Haas Racing after the 2024 season.

Gene Haas

The car owner of Haas Factory Team, who has earned a pole five times as a car owner in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series.

Carson Kvapil

The driver who will start second, matching his career-best starting position.

Taylor Gray

The driver who earned the third starting spot as he continues to develop in his sophomore NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series season.

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What they’re saying

“We're showing up pretty similar to what we have in the last year with this Haas Factory Team,”

— Sam Mayer, Driver

“I feel like it's going to be pretty good. We were in the race, top-five, top-10 all day, finished third [referring to last year], so I feel pretty good about what we have.”

— Sam Mayer, Driver

What’s next

The race is scheduled for Saturday, February 21, starting at 5:30 PM ET at EchoPark Speedway, with live coverage provided by The CW sports network.

The takeaway

Sam Mayer's achievement with the Haas Factory Team breaks the stronghold previously held by Richard Childress Racing and signals a potential shift in competitive dynamics on drafting tracks this season. Mayer's proven ability to qualify well and contend in races indicates Haas Factory Team's growing strength as a serious contender across NASCAR's O'Reilly Auto Parts Series circuits.