Cole Custer is in the midst of trying to repeat as NASCAR Xfinity Series champion all while trying to figure out what his future holds.
But his future may already be set.
Custer won three races last year, including the season finale at Phoenix Raceway to earn the NXS title. While he has yet to win in 2024, the No. 00 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford has been the mark of consistency.
In his fifth Xfinity season and second since being demoted from the NASCAR Cup Series, Custer currently leads the points by one marker over Chandler Smith. His average finish of 8.9 is nearly two positions better than last season (10.8).
That’s the best average finish among full-time drivers, and he also leads the series in top 10s with 12. Smith has the second most top 10s with 10.
Regardless of having no wins yet (he had one at this point last year), Custer prefers the start he’s had this year to last.
“Just because we have such a better notebook right now,” Custer told Frontstretch. “We definitely know we have a little bit to gain. We haven’t won yet, but we’ve been so consistent.
“We’ve been in the mix every single race. We just gotta keep knocking on the door and keep trying to find little ways to make ourselves better and we’ll be right there. We’ll get our wins soon.”
Custer and his team are making this strong push to be two-time NXS champions despite knowing SHR will close down at the end of the year. That was announced at the end of May.
“Yeah, it’s obviously not easy, because everybody’s trying to figure out their next deal,” Custer said. “But at the end of the day, I know we have great people. I know JT [crew chief Jonathan Toney] and all our guys are always committed, and they’re great about the details.
“I feel like overall on the Xfinity side, we’re quite a group that really gets stuff done. I feel like I’m really confident on what we can do the rest of the year.”
But is Custer even a free agent, or is he already spoken for? Will the guys at the No. 00 team really have to look for work, or will they be in the same building next year?
On June 20, a curveball was thrown into NASCAR Silly Season that could directly impact all of the aforementioned characters. SHR co-owner Gene Haas is staying in NASCAR, keeping one SHR charter in Cup and the two Xfinity teams.
Haas’ new outfit will be called Haas Factory Team,…
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