Reigning Xfinity Series champion Cole Custer scored his first victory of the season, taking the checkered flag Saturday at Pocono Raceway.
Custer led on a restart with four laps to go but Justin Allgaier passed him in Turn 1. Custer moved ahead before Allgaier got beside him entering Turn 2. Custer took the lead for good entering Turn 3.
MORE: Pocono Xfinity results
MORE: Xfinity points after Pocono
Custer entered the race as the points leader and had done everything but win this season before Saturday.
“I’ve been telling people I’ve never been so frustrated being the points leader,” Custer told NBC Sports’ Kim Coon. “It was the weirdest feeling in the world. We’ve been so good pretty much all year.”
This also was the first victory of the season for Ford.
Allgaier, who overcame a pit road penalty, finished second. William Byron, who overcame a flat tire in the second stage, finished third. Sheldon Creed was fourth. Taylor Gray completed the top five.
Stage 1 winner: Justin Allgaier
Stage 2 winner: Cole Custer
Who had a good race: Sheldon Creed’s fourth-place finish gives him eight top-five results this season. ... Taylor Gray scored his second career top-five finish (in eight series starts) after starting at the rear for unapproved adjustments. ... AJ Allmendinger’s sixth-place finish is his best result in the last six races.
Who had a bad race: Dawson Cram finished last in the 38-car field due to a crash that brought out the caution on the second lap. ... Chicago winner Shane van Gisbergen finished 31st, the last car on the lead lap. Contact from Sam Mayer turned him late in the race.
Next: The series races July 20 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (3:30 p.m. ET on USA Network)