By: Zach Catanzareti, Staff Writer
Nothing beats track time and Cole Custer got plenty Sunday at Pocono Raceway.
This time, it was in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series as the 20-year-old made just his second start in the series for Rick Ware Racing in Sunday’s Pocono 400. Starting the 160-lap race from 28th, Custer had his hands full on the Tricky Triangle from the drop of the green flag.
“We got stuck on being a lap down early there and it hurt us the whole race trying to get that back,” Custer told Kickin’ The Tires. I’mm just trying to get more and more comfortable with it.”
With a 10-race gap between starts, Custer’s Las Vegas debut in March gave him the baseline of what a Cup car entails. Pocono exposed that baseline as Custer won the free pass on lap 152 and ended the day 26th.
“It was a big learning experience. I feel I learned a ton in the race,” he said. “Right now, we’re just trying to get some laps in, some experience. Mid-way through the race, we had good lap times, top-20 car, seemed pretty decent.”
Custer had a few shoulders to lean on for his second start, including Kevin Harvick, who is a teammate to Custer in the XFINITY Series for Stewart-Haas Racing.
“I’ve asked Kevin a lot of questions,” he said. “He’s definitely a tool but it’s up to me to get comfortable in the car. I’ve gotten better and better as the race goes on but it hurts you too much when you’re off on the start.”
A lead-lap finish, Rick Ware Racing’s first in the Cup Series, was especially momentous for Custer, who truly grasped the Cup Series’ competitive power on Sunday.
“I don’t think it’s said enough or you can appreciate it enough how good these guys are and how competitive the Cup Series is,” he said. “Now, I feel I can run the lap times through the race but it’s just getting the racing good and have the whole day go right.”
Great job by @ColeCuster00 today! P26 @poconoraceway in the @Haas_Automation, @PrefundCapital Ford. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/kubHXTROYH
— Rick Ware Racing (@RickWareRacing) June 3, 2018