Tony Stewart's star Cole Custer shares emotional tribute to wife Kari with Bristol win dedication - "Very special win for the best mom in the world"

Defending Xfinity Series champion Cole Custer took to social media following his victory in the Food City 300 at the Bristol Motor Speedway on Friday night. The 26-year-old shared a heartfelt message for his wife, Kari.

In a post on Instagram, the 15-time Xfinity Series race winner posed for a selfie alongside his wife while holding their seven-week-old son, Callahan. The couple's dog is also seen in the photo alongside the BMS trophy.

In the second picture, the couple's son is seen lying next to the trophy and a sword, which is awarded to the Bristol winner along with the trophy. The caption read:

"Very special win! Kari has been unbelievable being the best Mom in the world! And it’s amazing to bring a trophy back to Cal for the first time!"

Custer has wheeled the #00 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford to two victories in 2024, but none since Pocono in July, making Friday's triumph the first for the California native since becoming a dad.

The couple welcomed Callahan Brian on August 1, 2024, as Kari took to Instagram three days later to share the news:

"Callahan Brian Custer. You are so loved."

Cole Custer led three times for 104 laps in Friday's 300-lap event around the 0.5-mile track. He held off Sheldon Creed, who tallied his 13th career second-place finish in the Xfinity Series.

Chandler Smith finished third, followed by fourth-placed Jesse Love and fifth-placed Ryan Truex. Dale Earnhardt Jr., the 15-time Most Popular Driver of NASCAR, finished seventh on his return to the circuit.

Bristol marked the final race of the Xfinity Series regular season. Cole Custer will begin the playoffs from second in standings with a 21-point gap over the cut-line. Justin Allgaier will begin the playoffs as the points leader.

---

Cole Custer seeking back-to-back Xfinity titles ahead of Cup return

It was announced in July that Cole Custer will return to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2025 after not having a ride in the previous two seasons, driving the #41 Haas Factory Team car. He replaces Ryan Preece, who drove the #41 machine the last two seasons after filling Custer's empty spot at the end of the 2022 campaign.

Custer moved up to the Cup Series in 2020 and piloted the #41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford for three seasons, including a victory at the Kentucky Speedway in 2020. Custer returned to the Xfinity Series in 2023 and wheeled the #00 SHR Ford to three victories and his first Xfinity Series title. He had raced in the series for three full-time seasons from 2017-2019, winning nine races.

This season, Cole Custer has two wins, 11 top-fives, three poles and three stage wins. If he wins the championship, he will be the first back-to-back Xfinity champion since Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who won back-to-back titles in 2011 and 2012.