Custer Set To Make Series Debut At Martinsville
NASCAR K&N Pro Series East regular Cole Custer is attempting to make his first start in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in the Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway on Saturday, Mar. 29.
He is arriving in Martinsville on a hot streak after winning the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West event at Phoenix International Raceway on Feb. 27. In Phoenix, Custer edged truck series regular Brennan Newberry for his third series victory.
Custer, son of Stewart-Haas Racing Executive Vice President Joe Custer, will compete in a total of nine races in the series this season.
In addition to both races at Martinsville Speedway, Custer is also competing in events at Dover, Gateway, Iowa, Bristol, Canada, Loudon and Phoenix.
Custer finished eighth in the last KNPSE standings last year and in just 17 career starts he has amassed an impressive resume. In addition to his three wins between the two series – just the ninth driver in history to earn that feat – he has eight top-ten finishes.
Custer won at two tracks he will drive his truck in this year at New Hampshire and Iowa-2.
Custer is competing in selected KNPS East and West races throughout the season and will make his first KNPSE start of the season this week at Bristol Motor Speedway.
NASCAR Next Drivers are Well-Represented at Martinsville Speedway
The current NASCAR Next class will have a strong showing in Martinsville when three of its members start the Kroger 250 at Martinsville – Jeb Burton, Gray Gaulding and Ben Kennedy.
All three drivers have excelled in the NASCAR ladder system with Burton coming up through the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series and both Gaulding and Kennedy using their experience in the NKNPSE to compete in the NCWTS.
Leading the group is Jeb Burton, who won the pole for this race last year. It will be Burton’s second start for ThorSport Racing.
Gaulding is making his first national series start driving for NTS Motorsports. Gaulding has won in the KNPSW division and finished seventh in the last KNPSE standings in 2013.
Kennedy is making his seventh career truck series start and his second at Martinsville. Last fall, Kennedy finished fourth at the .526-mile track.
Noteworthy
SS Green Light Racing is fielding an entry at Martinsville Speedway for Florida native Ray Black Jr. The Late Model standout is making six starts this season in the NCWTS. Part-time series competitor Danny Efland has joined Richard Childress Racing as an engineer for the No. 33 entry in the NNS.