On Friday night at Bristol Motor Speedway, Cole Custer pulled off an incredible victory, securing the NASCAR Xfinity Series Regular Season Championship. This achievement comes as Custer sets his sights on an even bigger goal—winning a second consecutive Xfinity Series title in November at Phoenix Raceway, before making his return to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2025.
The 2023 Xfinity champion clinched this year’s regular-season crown after overcoming a 43-point deficit to Justin Allgaier, who suffered misfortune with two incidents while running in the top five. Those setbacks dropped Allgaier to a 30th-place finish, 10 laps down, effectively ending his championship hopes.
Custer’s career has shown that luck isn’t a key factor in his success, a point he proved with his victory in Arizona just 10 months ago. However, the past two months have been inconsistent for the No. 00 Stewart-Haas Racing team. Since the race at Pocono Raceway on July 13, Custer has had a mix of results—two wins, two second-place finishes, a 21st-place showing, and three races where he finished 30th or worse due to DNFs (Did Not Finish).
During a media teleconference, Custer expressed optimism about his team’s performance heading into the playoffs. “We’ve had really fast cars every weekend, but some unfortunate incidents have hurt us in the past month and a half,” Custer said. “Bristol was a turning point, and now we’re focused on carrying that momentum into the playoffs.”
Custer also reflected on his time with the No. 00 team, emphasizing the bond they’ve formed as he prepares to return to the Cup Series in 2025 with the rebranded Haas Factory Team. He remains determined to finish this season on a high note, aiming for another championship before Stewart-Haas Racing, as it currently exists, is rebranded.
