The Cup Series newcomer was the unfortunate leader in Indy before Riley Herbst’s late breakout robbed him of the win

If it weren’t for the up-and-down battle won by Riley Herbst, Cole Custer would have won twice this week. He went into the big race with “good news” that is nothing short of a victory for the 26-year-old. Back in the big leagues, Custer will drive for the Haas Factory Team in 2025. And the SHR driver came agonizingly close to making his triumphant return when he drove to victory lane at Indianapolis, leading the Pennzoil 250 with three laps to go.

However, in a dramatic finish, Riley Herbst overtook him, capping one of the most thrilling finishes in recent Xfinity Series races, with three different drivers taking the lead in the final three laps.

So close yet so far

NASCAR’s return to the legendary 2.5-mile oval, three years after competing on the track’s road course, was met with much fanfare and excitement. Cole Custer took the pole in qualifying with a time of 53.705, closely followed by his Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Riley Herbst. Custer, fresh off his win at Pocono Raceway, was eager to get going in Indianapolis, hoping to capture his second win of the season. He dominated the race with teammate Riley Herbst, and the two traded the lead late in Stage 3 when Herbst passed Custer with two laps to go to win the race.

Speaking to Frontstretch, Cole Custer talked about how he narrowly missed out on a win at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The 26-year-old said: “Honestly, I felt like it was just a disadvantage being in the lead. When you’re leading, it seems to get really tight after about 15 laps, but when you’re second or third or stuck in traffic, the shell of the car gets freed up and the right front tire is saved. When I was second, I had a good long-distance car. When I was leading, I didn’t have a good long-distance car. We just needed one lap less, you know. I think if we had one lap less, we would have been lost, but great. I’m really happy for Riley and the whole team, they did a great job all day, and it’s great for SHR to get the one-two.”

Although Riley Herbst passed Cole Custer with just three laps to go, the drama was far from over. The maneuver also cleared the way for Joe Gibbs Racing driver Aric Almirola to pass, and his Toyota took the lead on lap 99. However, Herbst, who had the faster car, took the all-important lead on lap 100 to secure the win, while his teammate Cole Custer finished second, giving Stewart-Haas Racing a dramatic one-two finish.

Cole Custer can call himself unlucky, as the race was a lap too long, preventing him from making it two consecutive Xfinity Series victories. The driver of the No. 00 Ford Mustang continues to lead the series with 761 points after earning five pole positions, nine top-five finishes and 16 top-ten finishes in the 20 races he has competed in. With all the negativity surrounding Stewart-Haas Racing’s impending exit from NASCAR and the announcement of its return to the Cup Series, it seems Cole Custer would happily accept second place under the circumstances.

Cole Custer gets a second chance to realize his dream of the NASCAR Cup Series

Reigning Xfinity Series champion Cole Custer will get another chance in NASCAR’s top flight after being selected to drive the Haas Factory Team for the 2025 season. It’s been NASCAR’s worst-kept secret, as Cole’s father, Joe Custer, serves as team president. The 26-year-old will drive the No. 41 Ford in the Cup Series next season, as noted in the announcement at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. During his first Cup Series stint, Custer won just one race in three full seasons at Kentucky Speedway, securing just one other top-five finish in 108 starts during that span. The 26-year-old will hope to do much better this time around.

Cole Custer said of his time with the Haas Factory Team: “Getting a chance back in Cup was the biggest goal. The chance to drive for the Haas Factory Team next year is great for me and I think we can do really special things with the resources we have as a team. We’re ready to get work done and bring in some great people and I think we can compete with the best.” Custer expressed his optimism for the 2025 season, saying: “Together with Ford as our partner, we have no shortage of resources for next year.”

According to the announcement, the Haas Factory Team will maintain a technical alliance with Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing and receive additional support from Ford Performance. The one-car team hopes to hit the ground running in the Cup Series next season and achieve some great results with Cole Custer behind the wheel. He may not have won at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but Cole Custer won where it matters most: returning to the NASCAR Cup Series.

Do you think Cole Custer had bad luck at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway? Let us know in the comments!