Texas A&M and Haas Factory Team bring ‘A Force for Good’ to NASCAR’s national stage on NBC

Texas A&M University’s mission of service, innovation and integrity will return to one of America’s most-watched sporting stages through its partnership with the Haas Factory Team. This Sunday, Oct. 26, millions of NASCAR fans will see Cole Custer’s maroon No. 41 Ford Mustang Dark Horse display the words that define Texas A&M’s new brand essence: Together, We Stand as a Force for Good.

“A Force for Good is not a mere slogan. It’s our standard,” said R. Ethan Braden, vice president and chief marketing and communications officer at Texas A&M. “We are showing what a major American research university built on values and service looks like in action. This is not about being the best in the nation; it’s about being the best for it. Aggies everywhere are using their knowledge and character to make a difference in communities across the country. That is why we choose to show up here, to share this story with millions who may not know Texas A&M University beyond football.”

Why it matters

Texas A&M’s presence at Martinsville is not about adding a decal to a racecar. It reflects the university’s magnitude, momentum and mission. It provides an opportunity to connect those strengths with a national audience that values loyalty, hard work and integrity.

• Engineering leadership: Texas A&M University is home to the nation’s largest undergraduate engineering program and ranks No. 1 among U.S. universities in engineering research expenditures.
• National service impact: The Texas A&M University System and Agencies train more than 200,000 emergency response and public safety professionals each year
• Innovation with purpose: Texas A&M researchers are developing self-healing materials for the U.S. Department of Defense, 3D-printed pediatric medicines and energy breakthroughs that strengthen national resilience.
• A (work)force multiplier: Top 5 in the nation for the number of science and engineering Ph.D.s awarded.

“These are not just accomplishments,” Braden said. “They are proof that when you combine values with expertise, you create action and impact that serves the nation at scale. That is what it means to be A Force for Good.”

Shared values, shared purpose

Texas A&M and the Haas Factory Team are united by preparation, precision, teamwork and respect, principles central to both racing and research.

“Everyone on this team understands what it means to work hard, trust each other and represent something bigger than ourselves,” said Custer, driver of the No. 41 Ford Mustang Dark Horse who celebrated a fifth-place finish on Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway. “That is what A Force for Good is about, and it is what we try to live every weekend. Having Texas A&M with us reminds us that purpose and performance belong on the same track.”

Now in its second year, the partnership has celebrated shared values on and off the track. At the Coca-Cola 600 earlier this year, the No. 41 car carried a maroon-and-camouflage design honoring fallen service members and Aggie Capt. Ronald Forrester ’69, a Marine navigator whose remains were recently returned from Vietnam. The tribute underscored that this partnership carries real meaning.

Students learning in motion

The collaboration also provides Aggie students with hands-on experience in elite performance environments. As part of the partnership, three engineering students completed paid internships this summer at Haas headquarters in North Carolina, contributing to analytics, race operations and mechanical systems. Others joined the team at Texas Motor Speedway, learning how data, preparation and teamwork translate into results.

“These experiences remind our students that learning is not limited to the lab or lecture hall,” Braden said. “The world depends on people who turn knowledge into action and values into impact.”

A message shared with millions

The Martinsville race, NASCAR’s oldest track event and a pivotal playoff eliminator, draws millions of loyal viewers each fall. Last year’s NBC broadcast reached 2.5 million households, offering Texas A&M a national platform defined by heritage, loyalty and shared values. Reaching this audience allows Texas A&M to share who Aggies are and what they stand for: humility, grit, service and unity.

During the race, the university’s new commercial, Together, We Stand as a Force for Good, will also air nationally on NBC. Featuring Arch “Beaver” Aplin III, founder and CEO of Buc-ee’s travel centers, and global entertainment group Dude Perfect, all proud Texas A&M University graduates, the spot has already surpassed 4 million YouTube views since its September debut.

“Opportunities like Martinsville bring all of Texas A&M University to a national audience,” Braden said. “They showcase how the university’s impact extends across Texas, the nation and beyond.”

About Texas A&M University

Texas A&M University was named one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2025 by Fast Company Magazine. The university is ranked by The Wall Street Journal as the best university in Texas and No. 1 in the Southeastern Conference. Texas A&M was recently recognized for having the highest return on investment for bachelor’s degrees among public universities in the state, according to The Foundation for Research on Equal Opportunity. Views of Texas A&M video content on YouTube grew from 311,000 in 2023 to over 30 million in 2024 (+9,360%), propelling Texas A&M to be named the most recognized university in the state of Texas and No. 6 among all U.S. public universities in the latest Global University Visibility rankings compiled by higher education research and consulting firm American Caldwell. U.S. News & World Report recognized the university’s biological and agricultural engineering program as No. 1 in the nation and for leading the nation in engineering research expenditures. 

About Haas Factory Team:

Haas Factory Team is the NASCAR organization owned by Gene Haas, founder of Haas Automation — the largest CNC machine tool builder in North America. Based in Kannapolis, North Carolina, Haas Factory Team fields entries across the NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series, with driver Cole Custer in the Cup Series and drivers Sheldon Creed and Sam Mayer in the Xfinity Series. Haas Factory Team reflects a commitment to performance and engineering excellence, carrying forward Gene Haas’s commitment to motorsports. To learn more about Haas Factory Team, visit HaasFactoryTeam.com and on social at Facebook, X and Instagram.