“That was the Doug Yates horsespower right there”: Cole Custer thankful after earning SHR's first win of the season 

Cole Custer has led the Xfinity driver standings for most of the season but only recently notched his first win of 2024. He took the checkered flag at the NASCAR Xfinity Series race, the Explore The Pocono Mountains 225, at Pocono Raceway. The Stewart-Haas Racing driver attributed his victory to the car's exceptional speed and horsepower.

The victory marked the 14th career win in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Cole Custer and his second one at the 2.5-mile triangular track. It was also the first win for Ford Performance in the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series season. Expressing his gratitude, Cole Custer thanked Ford and his team, saying:

"You just try and manage it the best you can, but it's just so luck-of-the- draw and who gets the best push and everything. Man, that was some Doug Yates horsepower right there.... These guys have worked so hard this year and just haven’t had that final result. To finally get it is so awesome...This is the second win for our team at Pocono, so it's awesome." [0:14]

Entering the race as the leader in points standings, this victory not only cements Custer's position in the playoffs but also adds crucial playoff points, easing any pressure for the upcoming regular season races.

After the result, Custer expressed his gratitude to Ford for their support in simulator practice and stated his intentions to maintain this positive momentum heading into Indianapolis.

The #00 driver overtook Justin Allgaier with about 10 laps remaining and successfully navigated through two restarts to clinch his first victory of the season.

William Byron, driving a part-time Xfinity Series car for Hendrick Motorsports, finished third at Pocono. Despite an early setback due to a puncture in the right-rear tire that sent him plummeting beyond the top 30, Byron managed to fight back, maintaining a strong presence in the top five during the initial laps.

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"I've never been so frustrated being the points leader," Cole Custer admitted after clinching his victory at Pocono Raceway.

Despite a stellar season in NASCAR’s second-tier series that has included seven top-five and 14 top-10 finishes in the first 18 races, Cole Custer had yet to secure a win coming into the weekend, even as he led the series points. The victory in the Explore The Pocono Mountains 225 brought a sigh of relief not just for him but also for his crew chief.

When asked about his feelings having secured his first win of the season, Custer stated:

"I've been telling people, I've never been so frustrated being the points leader. It was the weirdest feeling in the world, you know, being... We've been so good for much all year, just top five and just not been able to break through in the year until now. So it's awesome to get it now. And I think we can really carry this." [at 1:00]

Next, for the first time since 2019, Xfinity drivers, including Custer, will return to the oval at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the final race before the Olympic break. Kyle Busch took the win in that 2019 event, starting from the pole and leading 46 laps.