Custer Starts Seventh, Finishes Fifth in Duel

Duel No. 1 Winner: Joey Logano of Team Penske (Ford)

Duel No. 2 Winner: William Byron of Hendrick Motorsports (Chevrolet)

 

SHR Finish:        

●  Aric Almirola (Started 4th, Finished 2nd/ Running, completed 60 of 60 laps in Duel No. 1)

●  Kevin Harvick (Started 6th, Finished 4th/ Running, completed 60 of 60 laps in Duel No. 2)

●  Cole Custer (Started 7th, Finished 5th/ Running, completed 60 of 60 laps in Duel No. 2)

●  Clint Bowyer (Started 7th, Finished 15th/ Running, completed 60 of 60 laps in Duel No. 1)

 

Notes:

● Cole Custer started his Duel from the seventh position and ended the 60-lap race in fifth.

● On lap 15 the California native slipped back from fourth to eighth after reporting his Mustang was tight.

● The Haas Automation driver made a scheduled green-flag pit stop on lap 33 from the fifth position for fuel and two right-side tires.

● During the only caution on lap 42, Custer reported he was struggling to get his car to turn.

● On lap 43, he pitted for four tires and fuel from the eighth spot.

● He restarted 10th on lap 47 and ended the Duel in fifth.

● Custer will start 12th in the Daytona 500. It will be his first appearance in the Great American Race.

● Drivers earning odd-numbered positions from Sunday’s pole qualifying session were assigned to the first Duel race. Drivers earning even-numbered positions from pole qualifying competed in the second Duel race. The starting positions for each Duel race were based on qualifying times.

 

Cole Custer, Driver of the No. 41 Haas Automation Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:

We are still just getting used to everything. We had a solid night and a good finish there at the end. We definitely have some things to look at on the car. We got pretty tight there, and maybe I am doing something wrong. We have a lot of good stuff to build on. We had good pit stops and everything was solid. I can’t thank the team enough for all the preparation we had coming here and all the Ford simulator time we had. I am really stoked that we were able to get some stage points out of it and can’t wait to get out there on Sunday.”

 

Next Up:

The 62nd running of the Daytona 500 takes place at 2:30 p.m. EST on Sunday, Feb. 16, with live coverage provided by FOX beginning with its prerace show at 1 p.m.

 

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