Reigning NASCAR Xfinity Series champion Cole Custer claimed his first win of the 2024 season Saturday, beating his closest championship challenger Justin Allgaier to the Explore the Pocono Mountains 225 checkered flag and giving Ford its first series win of the year.

Custer’s No. 00 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Mustang took the lead from Allgaier on a restart with nine laps remaining and then held off the JR Motorsports Chevy by .670 seconds to secure his 14th career victory in a thrilling finish at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway. He becomes the first driver to win multiple NASCAR Xfinity Series races at the historic 2.5-mile track — answering his 2019 win.

“You just try to manage it the best you can but it’s kind of the luck of the draw who gets the best push,” a smiling Custer said of having to hold off perennial championship contender Allgaier and third-place finisher and NASCAR Cup Series regular William Byron in the closing laps.

“That was some Doug Yates horsepower right there. We definitely had it on the straightaways and man, I just can’t say enough about these guys. They’ve worked so hard this whole year and just haven’t had that final result. To finally get it, is so awesome.”

Allgaier led a race-best 30 laps of the 90-lap race, with the 25-year-old Californian Custer out front for 25 laps — the two drivers each winning a stage. For Allgaier, his Stage 1 victory was a series-best 11th, but a pit road penalty during the ensuing pit stop forced him to work his way back up through the field.

And even with all the impressive race statistics and compelling comeback storyline Saturday, it was missing out on the trophy after such a strong showing that stuck with Allgaier when he climbed out of his Chevrolet.

“Really proud of everyone at Junior Motorsports, just really stinks to come out of here second,” Allgaier said. “Led so many laps here and feel like same result every time, just not able to go to Victory Lane. … Just came up a little short and it’s going to sting for a little while.”

This year’s Daytona 500 winner and the 2017 Xfinity Series champion Byron was making his third Xfinity Series start of the season and kept the field honest, leading 17 laps.

Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Sheldon Creed and Taylor Gray rounded out the Pocono top five. Kaulig Racing’s A.J. Allmendinger, Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Hill, Big Machine Racing’s Parker Kligerman and JR Motorsports teammates Sammy Smith and Sam Mayer rounded out the top 10.

Custer extended his lead atop the Xfinity Series championship and now holds a 51-point advantage on Allgaier. With seven races remaining to set the 12-driver playoff field, Smith holds a 23-point edge over Ryan Sieg for that 12th position.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series returns to action Saturday at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the Pennzoil 250 (3:30 p.m. ET, USA Network, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Radio Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Ty Gibbs won the race last year on the Indianapolis Grand Prix Circuit. Kyle Busch won the last NASCAR Xfinity Series race on the famed 2.5-mile oval in 2019.

NASCAR Xfinity Series Race – Explore The Pocono Mountains 225
Pocono Raceway
Long Pond, Pennsylvania
Saturday, July 13, 2024

1. (8) Cole Custer, Ford, 90.
2. (3) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 90.
3. (6) William Byron(i), Chevrolet, 90.
4. (1) Sheldon Creed, Toyota, 90.
5. (4) Taylor Gray(i), Toyota, 90.
6. (10) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 90.
7. (11) Austin Hill, Chevrolet, 90.
8. (15) Parker Kligerman, Chevrolet, 90.
9. (9) Sammy Smith, Chevrolet, 90.
10. (12) Sam Mayer, Chevrolet, 90.
11. (18) Riley Herbst, Ford, 90.
12. (7) Ryan Sieg, Ford, 90.
13. (2) Brandon Jones, Chevrolet, 90.
14. (16) Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, 90.
15. (5) Chandler Smith, Toyota, 90.
16. (25) Corey Heim(i), Toyota, 90.
17. (20) Daniel Dye(i), Chevrolet, 90.
18. (22) Josh Williams, Chevrolet, 90.
19. (34) Ryan Truex, Toyota, 90.
20. (33) Kyle Sieg, Ford, 90.
21. (17) Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 90.
22. (19) Jesse Love #, Chevrolet, 90.
23. (21) Kyle Weatherman, Chevrolet, 90.
24. (23) Matt DiBenedetto, Ford, 90.
25. (28) Leland Honeyman #, Chevrolet, 90.
26. (27) Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, 90.
27. (14) Josh Berry(i), Ford, 90.
28. (37) Thomas Annunziata, Chevrolet, 90.
29. (31) Mason Massey(i), Ford, 90.
30. (24) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 90.
31. (26) Shane Van Gisbergen #, Chevrolet, 90.
32. (13) Parker Retzlaff, Chevrolet, 89.
33. (32) Patrick Emerling, Chevrolet, 89.
34. (35) Blaine Perkins, Ford, Suspension, 72.
35. (38) Stephen Mallozzi(i), Chevrolet, Engine, 68.
36. (30) Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, Accident, 47.
37. (29) Josh Bilicki, Chevrolet, Electrical, 8.
38. (36) Dawson Cram(i), Chevrolet, Accident, 1.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 105.113 mph.
Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 8 Mins, 26 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.670 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 8 for 30 laps.
Lead Changes: 10 among 7 drivers.
Lap Leaders: S. Creed 1-7;J. Allgaier 8-22;J. Love # 23-25;C. Custer 26-41;W. Byron(i) 42-50;J. Love # 51-54;W. Byron(i) 55-61;A. Hill 62;R. Sieg 63-66;J. Allgaier 67-81;C. Custer 82-90.
Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Justin Allgaier 2 times for 30 laps; Cole Custer 2 times for 25 laps; William Byron(i) 2 times for 16 laps; Sheldon Creed 1 time for 7 laps; Jesse Love # 2 times for 7 laps; Ryan Sieg 1 time for 4 laps; Austin Hill 1 time for 1 lap.
Stage #1 Top Ten: 7,00,81,17,16,21,98,39,8,18
Stage #2 Top Ten: 00,81,21,98,39,16,18,8,26,7

–By Holly Cain, NASCAR Wire Service. Special to Field Level Media.