NASCAR confiscated splitter from Cole Custer during Xfinity Series inspection
Things are not off to a great start for Cole Custer and his N. 00 Stewart-Haas Racing team at Michigan International Speedway. The Xfinity Series driver will likely face consequences next week. NASCAR found an issue with the splitter on his Ford Mustang and will now take it back to the Research & Development Center for further inspection.
During qualifying, Cole Custer posted a time of 38.471 and was not able to make the top-10. However, this might be a much bigger issue than qualifying. NASCAR has come down hard on Cup Series teams for issues this season. We’ll see how they react to whatever Custer’s team may have done.
There won’t be any penalties announced until Tuesday of next week at the earliest. NASCAR usually likes to release these things mid-week.
This wouldn’t be the first time that Stewart-Haas Racing got in trouble this season. In the Cup Series ranks, Chase Briscoe was hit with a hard penalty after it was found that he had a counterfeit part on his Ford Mustang. Big no-no in NASCAR, especially in the new era. In fact, the $250,000 fine attached to the penalty was one of the biggest fines ever in NASCAR history.
It will be interesting if NASCAR shows off this piece like they have others in the Cup Series. More transparency has made it a lot more interesting each week when dealing with these issues.
Cole Custer will have to brush this off and try to perform at Michigan in the Cabo Wabo 250 on Saturday.
Cole Custer, championship contender
With his success this season, Cole Custer should be in a group of four or five drivers that will be in contention for the championship. He is a former champion himself and honestly, struggled to break through to start the year. After winning that first race of the season at Portland, it has been a different Custer.
His performances from Richmond to Atlanta this season produced two wins, six top-5s, and three top-10s. That’s a top-10 finish in all eleven races. Since then, he has struggled again. P22, P33, and P30 in the last three races are not ideal.
Right now, Custer is fourth in the standings and 84 points from the leader, Austin Hill. If he wants to put himself in the mix with Hill and John Hunter Nemechek for the championship, he has to start performing. The end of the season is right around the corner, and the playoffs will be tough.
All of that would make be difficult enough, but now Cole Custer is facing a possible points penalty late in the season. Tough break.