LADERA RANCH, CA — Audio and story by Managing Editor Jacob Seelman for Race Chaser Online — Will Schneekloth/Getty Images North America photo — Cole Custer had Iowa Speedway figured out last fall.
The 16-year old talent schooled the entirety of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East and West in last year’s Pork Be Inspired 150 East/West challenge event, sitting on the overall pole and then going on to lead every lap of the race in arguably the most dominant performance in K&N Pro Series combination race history.
Now, he’s back for more.
Custer comes into the Casey’s General Stores 150 with a lot of confidence and momentum after two wins this season at Phoenix and Richmond, despite only running a partial schedule for Bill McAnally Racing and Haas Racing Development. The young Californian says he’s confident his team has what it takes to win again.
“That car we had last fall was just hooked up,” Custer said in a recent interview with Race Chaser Online. “We’re hoping to bring a similar piece for this weekend’s event and get back to victory lane. Iowa really suits me as a driver and I’m excited to get back on track.”
Custer rebounded from the June Iowa event last year where he started second and led 19 laps before fading to a sixth-place finish, fourth among East entries.
“We should have won that race, and we just didn’t get it to happen,” Custer lamented. “But, we’ve had a break now and we’re recharged, and I’m ready to get on-track.”
The K&N Pro Series East has not raced since the Richmond event at the end of April, so Custer has had a lot of time to savor his most recent triumph.
“We were just really good as a team that whole weekend,” Custer said of the Blue Ox 100. “With my teammate Nick (Drake) qualifying on pole and then me running outside pole, and for us to be the only two leaders in the event, I think it really showed how good this organization behind us is and how much we want to win as a team and not just as drivers.”
With Custer also having competed in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series this season, the young driver is broadening his scope for what 2014 could bring. He ran top ten for most of the race before sliding to 12th at the checkered flag, and was also elected to the 2014-15 NASCAR Next class at Richmond, opening up a world of possibilities for the West Coast id who’s looking to make it big in NASCAR.
“Our Truck run was solid, but what has really meant a ton to me over the last two months was being selected for this year’s NASCAR Next class,” Custer expressed. “I’ve watched guys like Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott light the world on fire after being through all the training and stuff that goes on with the program, and the media assistance and exposure that it gives us, for a guy like me who hasn’t always had all the connections at first, it’s really a huge help and I’m excited to be a part of it.”
The pressure is on in the combination races, Custer says, and not only does he say he enjoys the challenge, but he expects another strong performance.
“When the East and West come together, the competition is at it’s peak,” Custer adds. “It just makes the field so deep as far as talent goes. I think we have an even better car than we had last time, and the field ought to look out.”
“I wouldn’t necessarily call Iowa our house,” Custer says coyly, “but we might have to start here before too long.”
Listen in as we talked recently with Cole Custer on the Stock Car Steel/SRI Motorsports Show about his Richmond win and his anticipation for Saturday night’s Iowa spectacular:
