Cole Custer Triumph: In the thrilling showdown at Phoenix Raceway on November 4th, 2023, NASCAR fans witnessed a battle of epic proportions as two Chevy teams, the No. 7 Camaro driven by Justin Allgaier and the No. 1 Camaro piloted by Sam Mayer, fought for supremacy in the Xfinity Series championship. However, their dreams were dashed by the sheer brilliance of Cole Custer in the No. 00 Ford Mustang, who outmaneuvered his competitors in a late-race restart.
Allgaier seized the lead, outmaneuvering John Hunter Nemecheck in the No. 20 Toyota TRD Supra as the laps dwindled down. Yet, despite his valiant efforts, Allgaier’s Chevy proved no match for Custer’s Mustang. In a heart-pounding moment, the trio went three-wide after the restart. Allgaier made a desperate attempt to overtake Custer, but his efforts fell short, trailing the eventual 2023 Xfinity Series champion by a mere 0.601 seconds at the finish line.
The outcome was a devastating blow for Allgaier, who had overcome adversity after spinning out on Lap 3 and fighting his way back from 38th place.
Reflecting on the race, Allgaier expressed his mixed emotions, stating, “I dont know if Ill get another shot at it again next year… We at least will have a shot at it, but I dont know if well make it. But so proud of the effort of this team and what we were able to accomplish. The restart was fantastic. I thought we did everything right I dont know, Im going to replay this one back in my head a couple times. I drove in there pretty deep and just kind of washed up. The 00 had the turning car all night, and we were just a little bit too free.”
In the end, Allgaier clinched a hard-fought third place, trailing behind Custer and the No. 2 Camaro of Sheldon Creed, who secured second place. Meanwhile, Mayer, representing another Chevy team in the championship, settled for fifth place in the intense battle on the track.
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Our Reader’s Queries
What happened to Cole Custer in 2023?
Cole Custer, a 25-year-old driver for Stewart-Haas Racing, emerged victorious in the 2023 Xfinity Series championship held in Phoenix. This marked Custer’s third appearance in the Championship 4, having previously finished just behind Tyler Reddick in 2018 and 2019. However, Custer refused to be denied this year and clinched the championship title.
What car does Cole Custer drive?
Meet Cole Matthew Custer, a talented American stock car racing driver born on January 23, 1998. He currently competes full-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 00 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing. Interestingly, his father, Joe Custer, is the team president of the same racing team. With his impressive skills and family background, Cole is definitely a force to be reckoned with in the racing world.
Has Cole Custer ever won a race?
In his season reset, Custer emerged victorious in three races, with the season finale at Phoenix Raceway being one of them. It took him 13 races to make a comeback to the victory lane, which he did at Portland International Raceway. Shortly after, he clinched another win at the Chicago Street Race.
Why is Cole Custer back in Xfinity?
Cole Custer had a brief stint in the Cup Series, where he managed to secure a win at Kentucky during his rookie year. However, it became evident that he needed more time to develop his skills in a less stressful environment. With the introduction of the Next Gen car last year, Custer found himself in a better position to hone his craft in the Xfinity Series. Here, he can focus on winning races and maintaining a consistent performance.
