HOMESETEAD, Fla. — In search of his first-career NASCAR XFINITY Series win to close the season, Cole Custer dominated the opening stage of Saturday’s season-ending Ford EcoBoost 300 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Custer led 40 of the first 45 laps to notch his third stage win of the season, all on 1.5-mile race tracks.
Polesitter Tyler Reddick led the field to green from the pole, but Custer found his way to the point by the third revolution and dominated until a caution on lap 19 for a spinning J.J. Yeley.
Following the restart on lap 24, Reddick and Custer traded the lead seven times in a four lap span, with Custer finally winning out on lap 27 and never trailing again from there.
Custer ultimately took the green-checkered flag 2.668 seconds ahead of Reddick at the end of the stage.
Spencer Gallagher charged from 28th on the restart to cross the line in third with fresh tires, followed by Scott Lagasse Jr. and Ryan Preece, who stood as the provisional owner’s championship leader at the first stage break.
Ty Majeski was sixth ahead of Daniel Hemric, who was the highest-running of the Championship 4 at the end of the first stage.
Elliott Sadler, JJ Yeley and Joe Nemechek completed the points-scoring drivers in the top 10 at the first stage break.
The two championship contenders outside the top 10 after the first stage were William Byron in 12th and Justin Allgaier in 19th.
About the Writer
Jacob Seelman is the Managing Editor of Race Chaser Online and creator of the Motorsports Madness radio show, airing at 7 p.m. Eastern every Monday on the Performance Motorsports Network, as well as a periodic contributor to SPEED SPORT Magazine.
Seelman grew up in the sport, watching his grandparents co-own the RaDiUs Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series team in the 1990s.
The 23-year-old is currently studying Broadcast Journalism at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., and is also serving as the full-time tour announcer for the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series.
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