Cole Custer gets his first NASCAR Cup Series win at Kentucky Speedway

Racing weekend at Kentucky Speedway concluded Sunday afternoon with the NASCAR Cup Series Quaker State 400. Kyle Busch won the pole by random draw, and starting next to him was Joey Logano. Before the race got underway, Martin Truex Jr. and Matt Kenseth both headed to the rear of the field for twice failing tech inspection. NASCAR officials put in a competition caution for lap 25.

GREEN FLAG! 🐎 The #QuakerState400 is underway from @KySpeedway on FS1 and the FOX Sports app. pic.twitter.com/jTcmuaukM1 — NASCAR (@NASCAR) July 12, 2020

As the race got underway, Kevin Harvick got loose on the start and fell to sixth after starting third. Kyle Busch led the first ten laps of the race before Aric Almirola got by Busch for the lead. Joey Logano bumped his teammate, Brad Keselowski, for the third position on lap 14. Almirola remained in the lead when the competition caution came out at lap 27. Under the caution, all of the leaders pitted with Aric Almirola winning the race off of pit road. Ty Dillon would go the rear of the field for a commitment line violation. The race got back underway on lap 31.

During the restart, Kyle Busch fell to eleventh as he reported to his crew that his splitter was off the ground. His teammate Denny Hamlin was running 28th after restarting 17th, complaining his car was chattering. Almirola continued to lead; however, Chase Elliott was closing in on him for the lead as Almirola was dealing with lap traffic. Joey Logano took third place away from Matt DiBenedetto after John Hunter Nemechek got loose in front of DiBenedetto, allowing Logano to take the position. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. got a flat tire as stage one came to a close that went to Aric Almirola. Ryan Newman got the free pass under the caution.

"It's too early for this!" – @dennyhamlin, probably 😂 The #QuakerState400 continues from @KySpeedway! pic.twitter.com/YDUx4pN4Ll — NASCAR (@NASCAR) July 12, 2020

All of the leaders came in for four tires and fuel under caution. Almirola would once again win the race off of pit road. Ty Dillon would get caught speeding and would restart at the rear of the field. Brad Keselowski made an extra stop to tighten loose lug nuts on his right rear tire. The race got back underway on the 88th lap with Almirola in the lead. As Almirola was leading, Ryan Blaney made his way to second-place getting by Joey Logano and was gaining on Almirola. By lap 138, Blaney went to the middle of turn three to take the lead away.

Reel 'em in, YRB! 🎣@Blaney is your new race leader at @KySpeedway! #QS400 pic.twitter.com/n8miIpI46s — NASCAR (@NASCAR) July 12, 2020

Almirola would lose the second-position to Joey Logano on lap 144. Tyler Reddick was the first car to pit road to start scheduled green-flag stops. Martin Truex Jr. would come in for his scheduled pit stop on lap 147 from the sixth position, a lap later, Chase Elliott pitted. Ryan Blaney, Aric Almirola, Joey Logano all came to pit road three laps later as Matt DiBenedetto was the new leader. He would pit on lap 151, handing the lead to Brad Keselowski. Keselowski pitted on lap 154 as the third caution came out for Matt Kenseth, spinning out of turn four. It turns out; he had a flat tire caused by the pit gun hitting the valve stem.

"Raise your hands if you have an issue." "🙌"- Matt Kenseth's car pic.twitter.com/s2ZSo6PO2y — FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) July 12, 2020

Under the caution, William Byron, Chase Elliott, Kevin Harvick, and Matt Kenseth came to pit road. Keselowski led the field back to green with two laps to go in stage two. Ryan Preece took his car to the garage with transmissions issues and was done for the day. Brad Keselowski would win stage two. Michael McDowell got the free pass.

Pit strategy and timely caution provides opportunity for Brad Keselowski to win second stage at Kentucky. pic.twitter.com/yxqawNrhUX — Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) July 12, 2020

Most of the leaders stayed out during the caution while Kevin Harvick, Tyler Reddick, Erik Jones, William Byron, and Cole Custer pitted. Keselowski led the field back to green on lap 168 to start the final stage. Three laps into the restart, Kyle Busch got loose, and his car’s rear did touch the outside wall off of turn four, but he managed to save the car and kept going. Seven laps later, Brad Keselowski would lose the lead to Martin Truex Jr. on lap 181.

"The car is BROKEN!" 😡@KyleBusch saves his Camry but not before making contact with the SAFER barrier. #QS400 pic.twitter.com/aLWDc4snI9 — NASCAR (@NASCAR) July 12, 2020

Jimmie Johnson pitted from the fourth position to start the next cycle of green-flag pit stops. He was complaining earlier about a vibration. Aric Almirola made his scheduled stop on lap 217, Martin Truex. Jr pitted on lap 220 with a 4.2 second lead on Brad Keselowski. As green flag cycles continued, the fifth caution came out on lap 228. Austin Dillon was heading to pit road and quickly tried to get back onto the track, got loose, and gently tapped the outside wall on the front stretch. His car did not suffer any major damage.

Not exactly how they drew it up! 😳@austindillon3 gets turned around after flirting with coming to pit road. pic.twitter.com/bTDzN46LRG — NASCAR (@NASCAR) July 12, 2020

Kevin Harvick, William Byron, Michael McDowell, Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, and Christopher Bell pitted under the caution. Martin Truex Jr. led the field back to green with less than 30 laps to go. The restart only lasted six laps when John Hunter Nemechek got into the turn two outside wall to bring out the sixth caution of the day.

CAUTION! Trouble for John Hunter Nemechek. pic.twitter.com/a3QqVDdiQa — FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) July 12, 2020

Kyle Busch, Aric Almirola, Erik Jones, Alex Bowman, all pitted under caution. Truex Jr. led the race to the restart on lap 249. Just as the green flag was waved, both Jimmie Johnson and Brad Keselowski went low, Keselowski had a run and Johnson tried to block but was too late as Keselowski spun Johnson into the grass, bringing out the seventh caution. Matt Kenseth got the free pass. Before the caution came, Ryan Blaney was scored as the leader.

Jimmie fans: Viewer discretion advised. 😢#QS400 pic.twitter.com/BFCHLVUkjB — NASCAR (@NASCAR) July 12, 2020

Blaney led the field back to green with 12 laps to go. Harvick, Blaney, and Truex Jr. were battling for the lead that went to Harvick off of turn two. Ryan Newman made contact with Matt Kenseth, causing him to spin at turn four to bring the eighth caution. Daniel Suarez got the free pass. Harvick led the field back to green with two laps to go. Ryan Blaney hit a drain on the front stretch, causing him to move up and hit Harvick as they were four-wide for the lead along with Truex Jr. and Cole Custer. Cole Custer got by all of them, and he would win his first career Cup Series win by .271 seconds over the second-place finisher Martin Truex Jr. With the win, Custer punches his ticket to the Cup Series playoffs.

One of the wildest late-lap battles for the lead in recent memory! 🤩 Relive the final lap that gave @ColeCuster his first win in the NASCAR Cup Series! #QS400 pic.twitter.com/29ZqkUPCYP — NASCAR (@NASCAR) July 12, 2020

The rest of the top ten finishers were Matt DiBenedetto coming in third-place, Kevin Harvick fourth, Kurt Busch fifth, Ryan Blaney sixth, Christopher Bell seventh, Aric Almirola eighth, Brad Keselowski ninth, and Tyler Reddick tenth. There were thirteen lead changes by nine drivers and eight cautions for 42 laps.

Playoff standings as of now are Kevin Harvick first, Denny Hamlin second, both with four wins. Brad Keselowski third, Joey Logano fourth, both with two wins. Ryan Blaney fifth, Chase Elliott sixth, Martin Truex Jr. seventh, Alex Bowman eighth, Cole Custer ninth, all have one win. Aric Almirola tenth, Kurt Busch eleventh, Kyle Busch twelfth, Matt DiBenedetto thirteenth, Clint Bowyer fourteenth, William Byron fifteenth, and Jimmie Johnson sixteenth.

Next up for the NASCAR Cup Series is a trip to Bristol Motor Speedway for the All-Star race on Wednesday, July 15th, at 7 pm on FS1. The next points race will be at Texas Motor Speedway for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 on Sunday, July 19th at 3 pm on NBCSN.

#NASCARCup