After a wild side-by-side battle with Justin Allgaier that lasted almost a lap with 4 of 90 laps remaining, Custer pulled forward and held on to take the win in Saturday’s race at Pocono Raceway by 0.670 seconds.
Whereas Custer was the collection factors chief coming into the race, the win is the primary of the season for the motive force of the No. 00 Stewart-Haas Ford and locks him into the playoff discipline. The victory can be the primary within the collection this season for Ford Efficiency.
Custer led early within the race however discovered himself trailing Allgaier when Allgaier determined to stretch his gasoline and skip a last pit cease.
On newer tires, Custer lastly handed Allgaier with 9 laps to go however Allgaier was nonetheless adequate to commerce the lead with him on the ultimate restart.
“Man, you simply attempt to handle it the very best you possibly can however it’s simply the luck of the draw on who will get the very best push (on the restart). That was all Doug Yates horsepower proper there. We undoubtedly did some passing on the straightaways as we speak,” mentioned Custer, who owns 14 profession wins.
“These guys have labored so exhausting all yr however simply haven’t had that last end result. To lastly get it’s so superior. I’ve by no means been so annoyed being the factors chief – it’s the weirdest feeling on the planet. We’ve been so good just about all yr.”
William Byron overcame a flat tire earlier within the race to complete third, Sheldon Creed was fourth and Taylor Grey rounded out the highest 5.
Finishing the highest 10 have been A.J. Allmendinger, Austin Hill, Parker Kligerman, Sammy Smith and Sam Mayer.
Stage 1
Allgaier simply held off Custer by 4.100 seconds to take the Stage 1 win. Chandler Smith was third, Byron fourth and Allmendinger ended up fifth.
Stage 2
Custer led each green-flag lap on his method to taking the Stage 2 win over Chandler Smith by 3.958 seconds. Hill was third, Riley Herbst fourth and Ryan Sieg rounded out the highest 5.
On a restart on lap 26, Byron hit the wall between Turns 2 and three which induced a flat tire on his No. 17 Chevrolet. The tire carcass got here off and landed on the observe which compelled NASCAR to throw a warning for particles.
Stage 3
Following the break between Levels 2 and three, a lot of the lead lap vehicles elected to pit with Hill first off pit highway. Byron remained on the observe and inherited the lead when the race resumed with 44 laps to go.
Parker Retzclaff received free and went up the observe in Flip 1 on the restart which triggered a four-car wreck that arrange one other restart with 40 laps remaining.
Creed was the primary of the lead lap vehicles to hit pit highway below inexperienced with 30 laps remaining to make his last pit cease of the race for brand spanking new tires and gasoline to make it to the end.
Allgaier – who received off-sequence as a result of a pit highway penalty earlier within the race – took over the lead on lap 67 with plans to stretch his gasoline to the end. A warning on lap 70 for the stopped automotive of Stephen Mallozi helped his trigger.
Jeremy Clements received free racing three-wide, spun and hit the wall on lap 75 to arrange one other restart with 12 laps remaining and Allgaier nonetheless out entrance.
With 9 laps remaining, Custer went to the surface of Allgaier and received round him for the lead.
Shane van Gisbergen wrecked in Flip 2 after contact with Mayer to deliver out the eighth warning of the race and arrange a restart with 4 laps to go.
After a wild side-by-side duel for the lead, Custer lastly received clear with three laps remaining.
