Cole Custer

Cole Matthew Custer (born January 23, 1998) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 41 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Haas Factory Team and part-time in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series, driving the No. 0 Chevrolet Camaro SS for SS-Green Light Racing with BRK Racing. He is the son of Joe Custer, the team president of HFT. He is the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion.^[1]

Racing career

Early career

Custer began racing quarter midget at the age of four. In 2011, Custer won the USAC National Focus Young Guns Championship. The following year, Custer began racing late models, winning ten races and earning Rookie of the Year honors.^[2]

In 2013, Custer joined the K&N Pro Series East, making his debut at Bristol Motor Speedway^[2] for Ken Schrader Racing. During the season at Iowa Speedway, Custer won the pole position, led every lap, a record for a combination race, and won, becoming the youngest race winner in K&N Pro Series history at the age of fifteen, beating Dylan Kwasniewski's record by six months.^{[3][N 1]} Custer would win again at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, also from the pole.^[4][5] He finished eighth in the series standings.^[6] Custer later ran in the K&N Pro Series West's season-ending race. Custer led every single lap, but was turned by Gray Gaulding on the final lap, and finished sixth.^[6]

In the 2014 season, Custer won the Pro Series West opener at Phoenix International Raceway, holding off Greg Pursley and Brennan Newberry on the green–white–checker finish.^[7]

2014–2016: Camping World Truck Series

In 2014, Custer joined Haas Racing Development to run nine races in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, making his debut in the Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway.^[6] Custer started the race ninth, and finished twelfth.^[8] In qualifying for the Drivin' for Linemen 200 at Gateway Motorsports Park, Custer set the track record with a 136.426 miles per hour (219.556 km/h) lap speed, becoming the youngest pole winner in NASCAR history.^[9]

At New Hampshire Motor Speedway on September 20, 2014, Custer won the Camping World Truck Series UNOH 175 from the pole, becoming the youngest winner in the history of NASCAR's national touring series at sixteen years, seven months and 28 days.^{[10][N 2]}

On January 12, 2015, JR Motorsports announced that Custer would drive a truck for them in ten races in 2015.^[11] On June 13, 2015, Custer won the Truck race at Gateway Motorsports Park, holding off the No. 23 truck of Spencer Gallagher, after the dominating trucks of Erik Jones and Matt Crafton were involved in two wrecks at laps 142 and 152.

When he turned eighteen years old in 2016, JR Motorsports began fielding the No. 00 truck for Custer full-time, competing for the Rookie of the Year title. At Canadian Tire Motorsport Park during the Chevrolet Silverado 250, John Hunter Nemechek and Custer were battling for the lead when Nemechek bumped Custer before running both Custer and himself off-road, pinning Custer to the wall. Before the winner was declared, Nemechek was tackled by Custer; Nemechek would be named the winner.^[12]

2017–2019: First Xfinity Series Stint

In 2016, Custer made his Xfinity Series debut for JR Motorsports at Richmond International Raceway, driving the No. 5 Chevrolet Camaro.^[13] He drove the No. 88 for JR Motorsports to the career-best fourth place finish at Charlotte in the Hisense 4K TV 300.

On September 16, 2016, Stewart–Haas Racing announced that Custer would drive the No. 00 Ford Mustang full-time in 2017, with Haas Automation as the primary sponsor.^[14] Custer began the 2017 Xfinity season with a crash at Daytona, finishing 37th. He rebounded the next week at Atlanta, finishing tenth.

After making the playoffs in his first appearance, Custer began making a surge at the end of the season, leading the most laps in Chicago and Kansas. Custer missed the Final Four by two spots after racing head-to-head with Daniel Hemric, the next week, Custer put on a clinic by leading the most laps, winning both stages and en route to his first Xfinity win at the Homestead–Miami Speedway in South Florida. The next year at the fall Texas race, Custer got his second career win when he passed Tyler Reddick on the last lap, clinching his spot in the Championship Four.^{[citation needed]}

In the 2019 season, Custer scored wins at Fontana, Richmond, Pocono, Chicago, Kentucky,^[15] and Dover. He finished second at Darlington but was declared the official race winner after Denny Hamlin was disqualified when his car failed to meet height requirements during post-race inspection.^[16][17] At the end of the Kansas race, Custer got into a fight with Reddick on pit road.^[18] Custer finished the 2019 season second in points after finishing second again to Reddick at Homestead.^[19]

2020–2022: First Cup Series Stint

In March 2018, Custer joined Rick Ware Racing for his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series debut in the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.^[20] He finished 25th. He returned for the June Pocono race, where he would finish 26th. At Richmond Raceway in the fall, he qualified a surprising tenth, though he would go on to finish 26th.^[21]

On November 15, 2019, Stewart–Haas Racing announced that Custer would replace Daniel Suárez in the No. 41 Ford in 2020.^[22] He scored his first Cup top-ten finish at Phoenix, while his maiden top-five came at Indianapolis.^[23][24]

A week after Indianapolis, Custer won his first Cup race in the Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway, passing Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr., and Ryan Blaney on the last lap.^[25] He became the first rookie to win in the Cup Series since Chris Buescher in 2016, the first rookie to do so in a non-shortened race since Juan Pablo Montoya in 2007,^[26] and the 33rd driver to win a race in all three NASCAR national touring series.^[25] With the win, Custer made the 2020 Playoffs, but was eliminated following the first round at Bristol.^[27] He finished sixteenth in the points standings and was awarded the Sunoco Rookie of the Year honors.^[28] Custer remained with Stewart–Haas for the 2021 season. However, his results were inconsistent and he missed the playoffs after the regular-season finale at Daytona as he was 26th in the points standings with just two top tens at Talladega and Dover.^[29]

After a two-year absence, Custer returned to the Xfinity Series in May 2021 at Circuit of the Americas, driving the No. 17 for SS-Green Light Racing and Rick Ware Racing in a collaboration with Stewart–Haas Racing.^[30]

Custer returned to the Xfinity Series competition in February 2022 at Auto Club Speedway, driving the No. 07 for SS-Green Light Racing in collaboration with Stewart–Haas Racing. He would end up winning the race after leading eighty laps. It was his tenth career Xfinity Series win, and the first win for SS-Green Light Racing.^[31]

On October 11, 2022, Custer and crew chief Mike Shiplett were fined US$100,000 after Custer intentionally slowed down and checked up on the last lap of the Charlotte Roval race, allowing his SHR teammate Chase Briscoe to advance to the next round of the playoffs. In addition, Shiplett was indefinitely suspended, and the No. 41 team was docked fifty owner and driver points.^[32]

2023–2024: Back to the Xfinity Series

On November 16, 2022, SHR announced that Ryan Preece would replace Custer in the No. 41 in the Cup Series in 2023 while Custer would move back to the Xfinity Series, driving a second full-time car for SHR. The team announced on November 23, 2022, that he would drive the No. 00 once again.^[33] Custer started the 2023 season with a ninth-place finish at Daytona. He scored his first win of the season at Portland.^[34] Custer also won at a rain-shortened Chicago street race leading every single lap.^[35] Following the Michigan race, the No. 00 was docked twenty driver and owner points and five playoff points, and crew chief Jonathan Toney was fined US$25,000 after the post-race inspection revealed unapproved splitters.^[36]

On July 3, 2023, Rick Ware Racing announced that Custer would return to the Cup Series to drive the No. 51 at Atlanta, New Hampshire, and Pocono.^[37]

On November 2, 2023, Custer announced he would continue in the No. 00 in 2024.^[38] Two days later, Custer would go on to win his and Stewart–Haas's first Xfinity Series championship at Phoenix Raceway after holding off Justin Allgaier and John Hunter Nemechek on an overtime restart.^[39]

Custer started the 2024 season with a thirteenth-place finish at Daytona. He scored wins at Pocono and Bristol, as well as the regular season championship.^[40][41] Despite not winning a race during the playoffs, Custer stayed consistent enough to make the Championship 4.^[42] After the race at Martinsville, Custer was involved in a post-race altercation with Chandler Smith.^[43]

On May 28, 2024, Stewart–Haas Racing announced it would shut down its NASCAR operations at the end of the season.^[44]

2025: Return to Cup Series

On July 20, 2024, Custer announced his Cup Series return in 2025 with the No. 41 of Haas Factory Team, which is a reorganization of Stewart–Haas Racing.^[45] He started the 2025 season with a 21st place finish at the 2025 Daytona 500. Custer struggled throughout the season, with eighth at Mexico, fourth at the summer Daytona race, and fifth at the fall Talladega race being his only top-ten finishes.^[46]

Personal life

Born in Ladera Ranch, California, Custer is the son of Joe Custer, who is the team president of Haas Factory Team and the chief operating officer of Haas F1 Team.^[47] HFR co-owner Gene Haas' company, Haas Automation, sponsors Custer.^[2] He attended Ladera Ranch Middle School and Tesoro High School.

He is married to Kari Custer. In July 2024, Kari gave birth to a son.^[48]

Motorsports career results

Career summary

^† As Custer was a guest driver, he was ineligible for championship points.

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led. ** – All laps led.)

Cup Series

Daytona 500

O'Reilly Auto Parts Series

Camping World Truck Series

^* Season still in progress
¹ Ineligible for series points

ARCA Racing Series

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded by qualifying time. Italics – Pole position earned by points standings or practice time. * – Most laps led.)

K&N Pro Series East

ARCA Menards Series West

References

Notes

1. ^ The current youngest K&N Pro Series winner is Gray Gaulding, winning at Phoenix International Raceway at 15 years, 8 months and 30 days.^[79][80]
2. ^ NASCAR's "national touring series" include the NASCAR Cup Series, Xfinity Series and Craftsman Truck Series; some include the 1972–1973 Grand National East Series as well.

Citations

1. ^ "Stewart-Haas Racing Announces New Executive Leadership Structure". August 2, 2022. Retrieved November 17, 2022.
2. ^ Edwards Staggs, Brooke (May 13, 2013). "Ladera 15-year-old hits NASCAR circuit". Orange County Register. Retrieved March 30, 2014.
3. ^ Associated Press (August 3, 2013). "Fifteen-year-old Cole Custer breaks record in NASCAR K&N race". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on March 31, 2014. Retrieved March 30, 2014.
4. ^ Kerchner, Mike (September 22, 2013). "Short-Track Roundup: Cole Custer wins second NASCAR K&N Pro Series race". Autoweek. Archived from the original on March 31, 2014. Retrieved March 30, 2014.
5. ^ Remillard, Jason (September 21, 2013). "Cole Custer wins NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway". The Republican. Retrieved March 30, 2014.
6. ^ Spencer, Lee (January 20, 2014). "Custer, turning 16 this week, to run limited Truck schedule". Foxsports.com. Retrieved March 30, 2014.
7. ^ Sbarra, Shon (February 27, 2014). "Custer Finally Gets Phoenix Win". NASCAR Home Tracks. Archived from the original on March 31, 2014. Retrieved March 30, 2014.
8. ^ "2014 Kroger 250". Racing-Reference. Retrieved March 30, 2014.
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16. ^ Albert, Zack (August 31, 2019). "No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota fails post-race inspection in Xfinity". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved September 1, 2019.
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23. ^ Handy, Sarah (March 9, 2020). "Cole Custer captures first Cup Series Top-10 at Phoenix". Kickin' the Tires. Retrieved July 5, 2020.^{[dead link]}
24. ^ "Gallery: NASCAR at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Sunday, July 5, 2020". Autoweek. July 6, 2020. Retrieved July 6, 2020.
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33. ^ "Stewart-Haas Racing promotes Preece to full-time Cup ride in No. 41 Ford". NASCAR.com. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. November 16, 2022.
34. ^ Spencer, Reid (June 3, 2023). "Cole Custer prevails in overtime at Portland". NASCAR. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
35. ^ "Cole Custer declared winner of rain-shortened Chicago Xfinity Series race". Jayski's Silly Season Site. NASCAR Digital Media. July 2, 2023. Retrieved July 4, 2023.
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38. ^ "Excited to be back in the 00 next year with @StewartHaasRcng!". No. 1720096048834916739.
39. ^ Albino, Dustin (November 4, 2023). "Cole Custer gets illustrious first Xfinity Series championship in return season". NASCAR. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
40. ^ "Cole Custer holds off Justin Allgaier at Pocono for first Xfinity Series win of season". NASCAR. July 13, 2024. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
41. ^ Spencer, Reid (September 20, 2024). "Cole Custer wins at Bristol, claims Xfinity Series Regular Season Championship". NASCAR. Retrieved September 21, 2024.
42. ^ "Aric Almirola sweeps '24 Xfinity Series races at Martinsville, Championship 4 set". NASCAR. November 2, 2024. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
43. ^ Long, Dustin (November 2, 2024). "Chandler Smith strikes Cole Custer after NASCAR Xfinity playoff race at Martinsville". NBC Sports. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
44. ^ "Stewart-Haas Racing to close operation at end of 2024 season". NASCAR. May 28, 2024. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
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47. ^ "Haas F1 Team lures Anheuser-Busch executive to head marketing effort". Autoweek. October 28, 2014. Retrieved February 21, 2016.
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66. ^ "Cole Custer – 2016 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved November 17, 2018.
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73. ^ "Cole Custer – 2016 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved October 28, 2017.
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77. ^ "Cole Custer – 2019 NASCAR K&N Pro Series West Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 23, 2019.
78. ^ "Cole Custer – 2023 ARCA Menards Series West Results". Racing-Reference. NASCAR Digital Media, LLC. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
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External links

• Official website
• Official profile at Haas Factory Team