Cole Custer shatters the track qualifying record and backs it up with a edge of your seat , hold your breathe win. If you did not get a rise in your pulse rate, you must be dead or blind after this finish.
Custer dominated the first 100 laps caution free and led 148 of the 175 lap event. Then the caution parade started bunching up the field and the quest of a checkered flag had about 5 young contenders driving without caution in New Hampshire. After a two year hiatus the division had no Cup drivers in the small field of 30 warriors. No driver had a win at this facility and it was the 17th visit by the touring NASCAR third highest division. Haas is one half owner with Tony Stewarts Sprint cup team and signed this young talent to a 19 race aggregate schedule for 2014 while still in high school. Late Model, K&N and Camping World Truck for his learning curve. He started racing at 4 and has won in every seat that he has been in throughout our Great Country. In 2013, Custer made NASCAR history-and even Sports Illustrated- by becoming the youngest winner in the K&N Series at the age of 15 years and 6 months. By the end of the year he had two wins (Iowa and New Hampshire), three poles, and had led 302 laps-the second most in the Touring Series
In 2014 Haas Racing Development has partnered with Turner /Scott Motorsports to field Custer in nine 2014 Camping World Truck Series races-at tracks 1.25 miles or less in length.
The end of the race his pit crew chief made the decision of taking 4 tires and fuel while #51 Eric Jones stayed out and the rest of contenders elected to just take two tires and save their track position. The look on the face of the crew chief thought that he just cost the best truck a chance at victory. Custer restarted behind seasoned veteran and the reigning champion #88 Matt Crafton in the 6 hole and grabbed two spots back before another caution and then finally started on the side on Crafton with #54 Darrell Wallace Jr. now in the mix and going for a first championship. Crafton made the mistake from third to fourth gear and both trucks slithered there way past three wide with about as much room as a coat of wax. I really think Wallace 6 months ago would have taken him out for the win. Now Wallace see's his big picture in NASCAR and settled for his 6th second place finish in his stellar 2014 racing season. Crafton started dead last when he had to raise his hood with a loose starter ground wire stalled his truck during the qualifying period. This is a no-no in the series. His teammate #98 Johnny Sauter who came in the race second in points started 18th and made changes all day to finish 4th. The two teammates leave New Hampshire with Crafton at 602 and Sauter 7 behind. #29 Ryan Blaney is in third 29 points back and a maturing #54 Darrell Wallace Jr. is with in championship distance at 35 points back.
Cole Custer's record in the 2014 Truck Series is 7 starts, 2 poles, 1 win, 1 top 5, 5 top tens and no DNF'S
I have been preaching this all year of the great RACING in the two series, Nationwide and the Camping World Trucks when the Big Boys (Cup) drivers do not move down and it proved it again today at Loudon, New Hampshire that most racing guru's claim is a one groove track with no passing. Two three wide passes in the last 6 laps will put this to rest and I will pencil this race on my calendar as a must have in the 2015 racing season. Fearless teenagers who I think are learning a lot of their driving skills on their computers before they even get behind the wheel. Denny Hamlin and
Randy LaJoi from No. Carolina must be beaming on the progress of the two boys, Custer and Cory.
.jpg)
.jpg)
