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COLE CUSTER – 2018 NXS Iowa II Race Report

Cole Custer Finishes Ninth at Iowa

Haas Automation Driver Earns 15th Top-10 of Season

 

Date:                 July 28, 2018
Event:               U.S. Cellular 250 (Round 19 of 33)
Series:               NASCAR Xfinity Series
Location:          Iowa Speedway in Newton (.875-mile oval)
Format:             250 laps, broken into three stages 60 laps/60 laps/130 laps)
Start/Finish:      2nd/9th (Running, completed 257 of 257 laps)
Point Standing: 3rd with 684 points

Race Winner:    Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota) in overtime
Stage 1 Winner: Cole Custer of Stewart-Haas Racing (Ford)
Stage 2 Winner: Christopher Bell of Joe Gibbs Racing (Toyota)

Stage 1 Recap (Laps 1-60):

  • Custer started second, finished first and earned 10 bonus points.
  • After a lap-19 caution, Custer took the lead.
  • He held the Haas Automation Ford in the lead until the stage concluded.
  • He pitted for four tires, fuel and adjustments at the end of the stage.

Stage 2 Recap (Laps 61-120):

  • Custer started first, finished second and earned nine bonus points.
  • Custer lost the lead in the opening laps, but made the pass to the front of the field on lap 82.
  • He held the lead until the closing laps of Stage 2 and just missed his second stage win of the race.
  • He pitted at the end of the stage for four fresh tires, fuel and chassis adjustments.

Final Stage Recap (Laps 121-257):

  • Custer started first, finished ninth.
  • Custer piloted the Haas Automation Ford in the lead until lap 154.
  • After pitting under green on lap 198, Custer made contact with the No. 55 car but steered his car back to second place.
  • Custer pitted during a lap-240 caution for four fresh tires and fuel. He fell back to 11th place.
  • During a final restart after a red-flag caution, Custer held the Haas Automation Ford inside the top-10.

Notes:              

  • This marks Custer’s 15th top-10 of the season and third at Iowa.
  • Custer earned 19 bonus points in the U.S. Cellular 250 at Iowa.
  • Custer led three times for a total of 104 laps.
  • Six cautions slowed the race for 41 laps.
  • Only 12 of the 40 drivers finished on the lead lap.
  • Christopher Bell won the U.S. Cellular 250 to score his fifth career Xfinity Series victory, fourth of the season and first at Iowa. His margin of victory over second-place Justin Allgaier was 1.398 of a second.

Cole Custer, driver of the No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing With Biagi-DenBeste:      

“Stewart-Haas Racing gave us a car to compete today and I just couldn’t get it done at the end. Thanks to everyone at Ford and Haas Automation for giving us a fast car again. We lead a ton of laps, but didn’t come home with the win.”