Cole Custer Bio
Cole Matthew Custer (born January 23, 1998) is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 41 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Haas Factory Team. He is the son of Joe Custer, the team president of HFT, and the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion.
Early Life and Background
Cole Matthew Custer was born on January 23, 1998, in Ladera Ranch, California. He grew up in a family with deep roots in motorsports, as his father Joe Custer has long been involved in the operation of NASCAR and Formula One teams. Custer attended Ladera Ranch Middle School and later Tesoro High School.
From an early age, Custer was drawn to racing. He began competing in quarter midget events when he was just four years old, sharpening his skills on small ovals around Southern California. By the time he reached his early teens, Custer had established himself as one of the most promising young talents in American short-track racing.
Path to NASCAR
Custer’s climb through the NASCAR ladder began in the K&N Pro Series East in 2013, when he made his debut at Bristol Motor Speedway for Ken Schrader Racing. At Iowa Speedway that same season, he won from the pole and led every lap, becoming the youngest race winner in K&N Pro Series history at fifteen years old. The following year, he added a victory in the K&N Pro Series West opener at Phoenix International Raceway.
He also made headlines in the ARCA Racing Series and captured the 2011 USAC National Focus Young Guns Championship. His late model program produced ten wins and a Rookie of the Year honor, setting the stage for his entry into NASCAR’s national touring series.
Cole Custer Career
Early Career (2014–2016)
In 2014, Custer joined Haas Racing Development to run nine races in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, making his debut at Martinsville Speedway. At Gateway Motorsports Park, he set a track record in qualifying and became the youngest pole winner in NASCAR history. Later that year at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, he won the UNOH 175 from the pole, becoming the youngest winner in the history of NASCAR’s national touring series.
By 2016, JR Motorsports fielded the No. 00 truck for Custer full-time, and he competed for Rookie of the Year honors. That same year, he made his Xfinity Series debut at Richmond International Raceway for JR Motorsports.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Breakthrough (2017–2019)
In 2017, Stewart–Haas Racing announced that Custer would drive the No. 00 Ford Mustang full-time, with Haas Automation as the primary sponsor. After making the playoffs, he earned his first Xfinity win at Homestead–Miami Speedway, leading the most laps and sweeping both stages. The following year, he added a victory at Texas Motor Speedway, passing Tyler Reddick on the last lap to clinch a spot in the Championship Four.
During the 2019 season, Custer emerged as a championship contender. He scored wins at Fontana, Richmond, Pocono, Chicago, Kentucky, and Dover, and was declared the official winner at Darlington after Denny Hamlin was disqualified in post-race inspection. Custer finished second in the final standings after another close battle with Reddick at Homestead.
Return to Xfinity and Championship Glory (2022–2024)
After two seasons in the Cup Series, Custer returned to the Xfinity Series in 2022, winning at Auto Club Speedway for SS-Green Light Racing in collaboration with Stewart–Haas Racing. In 2023, he drove the No. 00 for SHR and scored wins at Portland and a rain-shortened Chicago street race. On November 4, 2023, Custer won his and Stewart–Haas’s first Xfinity Series championship at Phoenix Raceway after holding off Justin Allgaier and John Hunter Nemechek on an overtime restart.
In 2024, Custer collected wins at Pocono and Bristol and earned the Xfinity Series Regular Season Championship. He stayed consistent through the playoffs to reach the Championship 4. Following Stewart–Haas Racing’s announcement that it would shut down its NASCAR operations at the end of the 2024 season, Custer’s next chapter opened at Haas Factory Team.
Haas Factory Team Era (2025–Present)
On July 20, 2024, Custer announced his return to the Cup Series in 2025 with the No. 41 of Haas Factory Team, the reorganization of Stewart–Haas Racing. He opened the 2025 season with a 21st-place finish at the Daytona 500. Through the early schedule, his top results included an eighth at Mexico and a fourth at the summer Daytona race.
Driving Style and Strengths
Custer has long shown a knack for short tracks and intermediate ovals, where his aggressive restarts and late-race pace have produced memorable finishes. His ability to capitalize on late-race opportunities has been a defining trait throughout his career.
Notable Races and Milestones
Custer’s signature moments include his first Xfinity win at Homestead–Miami Speedway, his 2019 Darlington victory awarded after post-race inspection, and his 2023 Xfinity Series championship at Phoenix Raceway. His Cup breakthrough came at Kentucky Speedway in 2020, when he passed Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr., and Ryan Blaney on the final lap to become the first rookie Cup winner since 2016.
Cole Custer Career Wins
Across NASCAR’s national touring series, Cole Custer has built a résumé that includes a Cup Series victory, multiple Xfinity Series wins, and a Truck Series win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. His most celebrated triumph remains the 2023 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Highlights
Custer has scored multiple Xfinity Series wins, highlighted by his first victory at Homestead–Miami Speedway in 2017. He added a dramatic last-lap pass at Texas in 2018 and a six-win campaign in 2019 that carried him to the Championship Four. His march to the 2023 Xfinity Series title at Phoenix Raceway cemented his place among the series’ champions.
Other Wins & Performances
In the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, Custer became the youngest winner in NASCAR national touring series history with his 2014 victory at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. He also captured a Truck win at Gateway Motorsports Park in 2015 and earned the 2011 USAC National Focus Young Guns Championship.
Cole Custer Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Cole Custer is the son of Joe Custer, the team president of Haas Factory Team and the chief operating officer of Haas F1 Team. The Custer family has long been tied to the operations of NASCAR and Formula One programs, with Gene Haas’ company, Haas Automation, serving as a sponsor for Cole’s cars.
Personal Life
Custer is married to Kari Custer. In July 2024, the couple welcomed their first child, a son.
2025 Season Performance
Custer returned to the NASCAR Cup Series in 2025 with Haas Factory Team, driving the No. 41 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1. The transition followed the closure of Stewart–Haas Racing, and Custer’s role with the rebranded operation placed him alongside a familiar team structure with new leadership.
His 2025 results have been mixed. After a 21st-place finish in the Daytona 500, Custer’s best runs through the early summer included an eighth at Mexico and a fourth at the summer Daytona race. As the season progresses, his focus remains on building consistency and returning to playoff contention.
With the foundation of a championship-winning resume and the backing of Haas Factory Team, Custer’s outlook for the remainder of 2025 centers on steady improvement. Continued top-ten finishes would strengthen his position and set the tone for future campaigns.
