Texas A&M University is revving its engines for a return to NASCAR in 2025 through a season-long partnership with Haas Factory Team (HFT), building on the university’s 2024 involvement with the Gene Haas-owned organization. And new this racing season, Texas A&M will make its NTT INDYCAR SERIES debut as a sponsor of fan-favorite driver Felix Rosenqvist.
The university’s renewed presence in motorsports enables Texas A&M, one of the country’s most consequential, top-ranked public universities renowned for producing both service-minded citizens and world-changing research — from sea, to land, to space — to step forward and stand together as a force for good with some of the nation’s largest and most passionate fan communities.
Texas A&M has agreed to become a season-long associate sponsor of the No. 41 Haas Factory Team Ford Mustang driven by Cole Custer. The partnership will capture a focal pole position when the university serves as HFT Mustang’s full-livery, primary sponsor at the Coca-Cola 600, one of NASCAR’s most iconic and veteran-centric races.
Texas A&M will also prominently appear on the uniform and helmet of Felix Rosenqvist, one of INDYCAR’s most popular drivers. Affectionately known as FRO, he is in his seventh season in INDYCAR and his second with Meyer Shank Racing. Rosenqvist currently sits fourth in the championship point standings and is widely regarded as one of the fastest drivers in the series. The helmet placement will afford Texas A&M significant onboard camera coverage on FOX (network) during INDYCAR races, via the INDYCAR app and across social media.
While these opportunities offer season-long exposure, together, they reach their apex on Sunday, May 25, the day dubbed the “Greatest Day in Motorsports.” Two races, 1,100 miles: the Indianapolis 500 midday, followed by NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 in the evening, both celebrating America and honoring our nation’s military servicemembers.
“These partnerships with HFT, Cole and Felix present big, natural avenues to consistently communicate externally what Texas A&M stands for with great visibility, value and shared values,” said Ethan Braden, vice president and chief marketing and communications officer at Texas A&M. “Motorsports are especially well-positioned to deliver cost-effective and efficient national reach with millions, deep fan engagement and loyalty, and a values-aligned audience for Texas A&M University. In the end, you may only see the driver in the winner’s circle, but propelling every lap is a car, a team, a community of supporters, as well as strategy, innovation and creativity at the highest levels. That’s Texas A&M University; that’s how Texas A&M Aggies think and act, and that’s the kind of country we are working to shape.”
Both Custer and Rosenqvist match Braden’s enthusiasm about the partnerships.
“I’m proud to carry the Texas A&M branding on our No. 41 Ford Mustang this season,” Custer said. “It was a productive partnership in 2024, so we look forward to expanding the relationship and raising awareness around Texas A&M’s commitment to our country’s military personnel. The Aggie Core Values align well with our philosophy at Haas and resonate with the NASCAR fanbase.”
Rosenqvist echoed Custer’s thoughts.
“I’m excited to partner with Texas A&M for the 2025 INDYCAR season and support their efforts to honor our country’s military-affiliated personnel,” Rosenqvist said. “Texas A&M has a powerful message and inspiring culture, and I look forward to collaborating with the university to help share its story this year. It’s an honor to be associated with an institution that is wholly committed to making a local and global impact.”
Texas A&M’s military livery — which debuted at the Phoenix Raceway NASCAR Cup Series race in November 2024 — will be featured at the Coca-Cola 600 during Memorial Day weekend. The No. 41 Haas Factory Team Ford Mustang will be adorned with a military-centric paint scheme with Aggie Maroon complemented by camouflage, honoring our nation’s fallen military servicemembers and signifying Texas A&M’s commitment to all military-affiliated individuals. As part of the Coca-Cola 600’s 600 Miles of Remembrance, Captain Ronald Forrester, an Aggie and Marine aviation navigator who was listed as missing in action after his plane crashed during a combat mission in North Vietnam and whose remains were only recently returned home after 51 years, will be honored during the race as his name rides along on driver Cole Custer’s windshield during the race with his family in attendance.
“No other university sends more leaders into public service or invests more in engineering a brighter, safer world than Texas A&M,” Braden said. “Our nation’s military servicemembers, families and veterans are the proverbial ‘12th Man’ to America. They show up, serve selflessly and carry our values forward in the most critical moments. So, we’re excited to showcase Texas A&M’s appreciation for our country and our military on Memorial Day weekend when we honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice, including Captain Forrester, and reaffirm our commitment to being the nation’s top university for serving and supporting veterans.”
National visibility through broadcast, digital and social media, and in-person audiences creates a powerful platform to showcase the university’s mission of advancing knowledge and human achievement, driving the economic engine of the state of Texas and the nation, supporting our veteran and military-affiliated students and families, and producing graduates who are leaders of character in today’s global society. With 80 million fans nationwide, 31% of NASCAR followers are currently serving in the military, have served in the military or are currently working in a military-specific occupation. NASCAR Cup Series audience is up 12% year-over-year through the first four races of 2025, with 4.1 million viewers for the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix in Austin, Texas. INDYCAR’s season debut on FOX Sports saw a 45% year-over-year audience boost, with 1.42 million viewers.
Additionally, the novel partnership with HFT (formerly Stewart-Haas Racing), will provide Texas A&M students unique, hands-on learning opportunities in elite-level motorsports. HFT will select two students for paid summer internships at its race shop in Kannapolis, North Carolina, and will host 10 students at Texas Motor Speedway on Saturday, May 3, for an immersive behind-the-scenes experience alongside HFT engineers in the garages and on the track.
Texas A&M Veteran Support
With roots as a senior military college, Texas A&M has proudly supported our nation’s veterans and military-affiliated students for close to 150 years. In addition to currently educating nearly 1,300 student-veterans, many of the university’s top leaders served in the military, including Texas A&M President Mark A. Welsh III, a retired four-star general and former chief of staff of the U.S. Air Force. Eight Aggies have received the Congressional Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military decoration.
Through the Don and Ellie Knauss Veteran Resource and Support Center, Texas A&M offers resources to help students navigate the admissions process, maximize their Veteran Affairs education benefits, and meet their career and employment goals after graduation, setting the standard for student-veteran support across the nation.
Texas A&M is also home to the Corps of Cadets, the largest uniformed student body in the nation and one that consistently commissions more officers into the country’s armed forces than any other school in the country, outside the military academies. Although there is no military obligation tied to being a member, the Corps develops well-educated leaders of character and offers programs specifically designed to prepare graduates for leadership roles in the U.S. military, corporate America, government service and the private sector.