Reigning NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Cole Custer secured his first win of the 2024 season on Saturday, outpacing his main championship rival Justin Allgaier to claim victory at the Explore The Pocono Mountains 225. This win also marked Ford’s first triumph in the series this year.
Custer, driving the No. 00 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford, seized the lead from Allgaier during a restart with nine laps remaining. He then managed to fend off Allgaier’s JR Motorsports Chevrolet by a margin of 0.670 seconds, clinching his 14th career victory in a dramatic finale at Pocono Raceway. This victory made Custer the first driver to win multiple Xfinity Series races at the historic 2.5-mile track, adding to his 2019 win there.
Reflecting on the race, Custer remarked on the challenge of maintaining his lead amidst fierce competition. “You just try to manage it the best you can, but it’s kind of the luck of the draw who gets the best push,” he said, grinning as he described the intense final laps where he had to hold off perennial championship contender Allgaier and third-place finisher William Byron, a regular in the Cup Series.
Custer credited the power of his car, saying, “That was some Doug Yates horsepower right there. We definitely had it on the straightaways and man, I just can’t say enough about these guys. They’ve worked so hard this whole year and just haven’t had that final result. To finally get it, is so awesome.” His win not only highlighted his driving skill but also underscored the hard work and dedication of his team throughout the season.
