Cole Custer Wins Regular Season With Bristol Checkers

Cole Custer hoists the winner's trophy sword

(BRISTOL, TN – SEP 20, 2024 – RIS) Cole Custer led 104 of the 300 laps in the Food City 300, earning enough points to win the regular season championship, ahead of Sheldon Creed in his 13th runner-up finish without a win in the series. Custer’s second 2024 win came after the team had to overcome a flat tire early in the race. Justin Allgaier had a night full of  problems, dropping him back ten laps in 30th at the finish.

Dale Earnhardt Jr’s one-off return to the Xfinity Series wound up in seventh place at the finish after he needed two helmets, two radios, two radio wiring harnesses and a pair of glasses during the race. In spite of the problems, Earnhardt said he had a lot of fun.

Cole Custer’s flat right front tire caused the caution flag to fly on the second lap, while Dale Earnhardt Jr’s radio wasn’t working. Justin Allgaier and Chandler Smith jumped to the head ahead of the field, battling side-by-side until ‘Dinger eased in front of Smith. 

Austin Green’s car bounced off the wall and clipped the rear bumper on the leading car of Justin Allgaier, ripping the cover off the No. 7 car’s rear bumper. Parker Retzlaff was also involved but able to continue in the No. 31 Chevy.

During the caution, Dale Earnhardt Jr pitted for a helmet swap to correct the radio problems. The new helmet failed to remedy the problem so he pulled back to the pits and the team switched the wiring harness on the radio, apparently correcting the problem. Allgaier’s crew were allowed to cut off the damaged cover. With Bristol rated a short track, only the rear spoiler is required.

Chandler Smith went on to win the first stage, followed by Jesse Love, Sheldon Creed  AJ Allmendinger and Anthony Alfredo. 

A quick caution for Parker Kligerman’s not-quite-spin had Brandon Jones bobble the restart and fall back out of the top five with Sam Mayer leading, Cole Custer eventually taking second and Justin Allgaier third.

As the second stage approached its end, another caution flew for a multi-car incident that led to Allgaier pitting to try to get the front splitter repaired. As the pack approached, he left the pits, dragging a battery-powered saw under the car until it came free and slid across the track under the caution.

Jeremy Clements took the second stage, followed by Cole Custer, Ryan Truex Sheldon Creed and Chandler Smith. 

Justin Allgaier suffered a flat right-rear tire on lap 198, sending him into a spin to put Cole Custer within two points in the regular season championship. Custer restarted in the lead, with Sheldon Creed chasing and Chandler Smith close behind the pair of leaders.

Unofficial Results: Food City 300, September 20, 2024, Bristol Motor Speedway
Fin, Str, Driver, Car, Laps, St1, St2, Tms Led, Laps Led, Playoff Pts, Pts, Status
1) 2, Cole Custer, No. 00 HighPoint.com Ford, 300, 7, 2, 3, 104, 5, 53, Running
2) 14, Sheldon Creed, No. 18 Friends of Jaclyn Foundation Toyota, 300, 3, 4, 1, 28, , 50, Running
3) 1, Chandler Smith, No. 81 Mobil 1 Toyota, 300, 1, 5, 1, 29, 1, 50, Running
4) 10, Jesse Love #, No. 2 Whelen Chevrolet, 300, 2, 6, 1, 1, , 47, Running
5) 16, Ryan Truex, No. 20 Toyota Genuine Parts Toyota, 300, 9, 3, , , , 42, Running
6) 8, Brandon Jones, No. 9 Menards/Pelonis Chevrolet, 300, , , , , , 31, Running
7) 13, Dale Earnhardt Jr., No. 88 Hellmann's Chevrolet, 300, , 9, 1, 1, , 32, Running
8) 12, Ryan Sieg, No. 39 Sci Aps Ford, 300, , , 1, 5, , 29, Running
9) 20, Sam Mayer, No. 1 Carolina Carports Chevrolet, 300, , 8, 1, 55, , 31, Running
10) 5, AJ Allmendinger, No. 16 Barger Precast Chevrolet, 300, 4, , , , , 34, Running
11) 3, Anthony Alfredo, No. 5 Dumpkin Spice Dude Wipes Chevrolet, 300, 5, , , , , 32, Running
12) 7, Jeremy Clements, No. 51 One Stop/All South Electric Chevrolet, 300, 6, 1, 1, 17, 1, 40, Running
13) 15, Riley Herbst, No. 98 Monster Energy Ford, 300, , 7, , , , 28, Running
14) 17, Austin Hill, No. 21 Bennett Transportation Chevrolet, 300, , , , , , 23, Running
15) 21, Sammy Smith, No. 8 Pilot Flying J Chevrolet, 300, , , , , , 22, Running
16) 11, Parker Kligerman, No. 48 Big Machine Spiked Coolers Chevrolet, 300, , 10, , , , 22, Running
17) 29, Brennan Poole, No. 44 Cliff Bowman Chevrolet, 299, , , , , , 20, Running
18) 34, Shane Van Gisbergen #, No. 97 WeatherTech Chevrolet, 299, , , , , , 19, Running
19) 19, Joe Graf Jr., No. 19 CoverSeal Toyota, 299, 10, , , , , 19, Running
20) 22, Josh Bilicki, No. 92 Rita's Ice Chevrolet, 299, , , , , , 17, Running
21) 32, Josh Williams, No. 11 Alloy Employer Services Chevrolet, 299, , , , , , 16, Running
22) 33, Blaine Perkins, No. 29 Caliber Steel Ford, 299, , , , , , 15, Running
23) 36, Kyle Sieg, No. 28 ReliableRVParts.Shop Ford, 299, , , , , , 14, Running
24) 26, Ryan Ellis, No. 43 Sweetwater Construction Corp Chevrolet, 299, , , , , , 13, Running
25) 25, Jeb Burton, No. 27 Fly Alliance/State Chevrolet, 299, , , , , , 12, Running
26) 9, Kyle Weatherman, No. 91 Crav'n Flavor Chevrolet, 298, , , , , , 11, Running
27) 35, Logan Bearden, No. 15 Mullis Construction Group Ford, 298, , , , , , 10, Running
28) 30, Carson Ware, No. 35 Key Heating and Cooling Chevrolet, 295, , , , , , 9, Running
29) 38, Greg Van Alst, No. 07 CB Fabricating Chevrolet, 292, , , , , , 8, Running
30) 4, Justin Allgaier, No. 7 BRANDT Chevrolet, 290, , , 1, 60, , 7, Running
31) 31, Leland Honeyman #, No. 42 Ohio Logistics Chevrolet, 290, , , , , , 6, Running
32) 18, Chad Finchum, No. 14 Elite Petroleum Ford, 280, , , , , , 5, Running
33) 23, Stefan Parsons(i), No. 45 TruShine Car Wash Chevrolet, 276, , , , , , 0, Running
34) 24, Matt DiBenedetto, No. 38 ReMA Ford, 275, , , , , , 3, Running
35) 6, Jeffrey Earnhardt(i), No. 26 K9 Grass by ForeverLawn Toyota, 205, 8, , , , , 0, Accident
36) 37, Garrett Smithley, No. 53  Ford, 113, , , , , , 1, Rear Gear
37) 27, Parker Retzlaff, No. 31 The Visual Pak Companies Chevrolet, 51, , , , , , 1, Accident
38) 28, Austin Green, No. 32 3Dimensional.com Chevrolet, 50, , , , , , 1, Accident
(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series, (#) Rookie

Race Length: 300 Laps, 159.9 Miles
Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 0 Mins, 55 Secs.
Average Speed: 79.344 MPH
Margin of Victory: 0.896 Seconds

Stage 1 Top 10: 81, 2, 18, 16, 5, 51, 00, 26, 20, 19
Stage 2 Top 10: 51, 00, 20, 18, 81, 2, 98, 1, 88, 48

Comments: Cole Custer won the Food City 300, his 15th victory in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

Prior to the start, the following cars dropped to the rear of the field for the reasons indicated: Nos. 1, 11, 31, 42 (unapproved adjustments);
No. 45 (engine change).

Failed to Qualify: (1) 74 Dawson Cram(i).

Cautions: 7 for 57 laps;
Laps: 4-9 (Debris [None]);
53-65 (No. 32, 7, 31 incident turn 2 [None]);
87-95 (Stage 1 Conclusion [43]);
121-126 (No. 48 spin turn 2 [97]);
154-161 (No. 7. 18 incident backstretch [15]);
172-179 (Stage 2 Conclusion [29]);
200-206 (No. 7 spin turn 2 [26]).

Lead Changes: 11 among 9 drivers;
C. Smith 0;
J. Allgaier 1-60;
C. Smith 61-89;
J. Love # 90;
R. Sieg 91-95;
S. Mayer 96-150;
C. Custer 151-155;
D. Earnhardt Jr. 156;
J. Clements 157-173;
C. Custer 174-180;
S. Creed 181-208;
C. Custer 209-300.