The one factor Cole Custer hadn’t achieved earlier than Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Sequence race at Pocono? Win.
The defending Xfinity Sequence champ had led laps, completed top-10 in 14 of 18 races, come heartbreakingly near victory at New Hampshire and led the factors standings going into Saturday’s Discover The Pocono Mountains 225, however he lastly closed the deal on Saturday for his first win of the season.
The win would not simply lock Custer into the playoffs or give him 5 additional playoff factors — it might be the catalyst for an enormous second half of the season.
After two middling runs on the superspeedways of Daytona and Atlanta to open the season, Custer caught fireplace, ending top-10 in 14 of the following 16 races. Included on this Lee Petty-esque span had been seven top-five’s, together with the aforementioned race at New Hampshire.
Custer led 114 laps at New Hampshire earlier than dropping in extra time to Christopher Bell, however the No. 00 workforce lastly proved that they might be within the combine when the pay window opened.
On Saturday, Custer needed to earn his victory twice, passing Justin Allgaier each below the inexperienced flag and on the race’s closing restart to say the win.
For Custer, nevertheless, the win reveals each himself and his workforce that they’ll present pace and shut out races, a trait which had been the Achilles heel for Custer’s workforce by the primary half of the season.
With tracks reminiscent of Indianapolis, Michigan and Darlington all arising over the following two months of the season, do not be stunned if Custer’s Pocono win ignites a scorching streak that he can experience all the best way into the playoffs. Trying to defend his 2023 championship and earn one other shot within the NASCAR Cup Sequence, Custer has each proper to depart all the things on the monitor over the ultimate 14 races of the season.
The Xfinity Sequence area could must take precautions — if the No. 00 workforce begins firing on all cylinders, they will be very troublesome to cease.