NASCAR Next driver Cole Custer at 9:30 pm ET. Photo – Getty Images
NASCAR Next driver, Cole Custer is our next guest on Fan4Racing Fan2Fan NASCAR & Race Talk on Monday, January 19, 2015 at 9:30 pm ET. Call 714-202-9918 with any questions or comments during the LIVE broadcast.
On January 12, 2015, JR Motorsports announced their expansion into the Camping World Truck Series for the 2015 season, with Haas Automation driver Cole Custer behind the wheel of the No. 00 for ten races.
Haas Automation has sponsored Custer for four years. The company was founded in 1983 by industrialist Gene Haas, and it manufactures a complete line of vertical and horizontal machining centers, turning centers and rotary tables and indexers in the company’s one million square-foot manufacturing facility in Oxnard, California.
“I’ve watched Cole develop as a driver and young man for several years,” said Haas. “Last year Cole successfully represented Haas Automation, bringing attention to machine tool buyers following the truck series by winning poles and races. When presented the opportunity to sponsor the championship team of JR Motorsports with Cole as the driver, I simply said yes. I have complete confidence in Dale Jr., Kelley, and Cole’s ability to take Haas Automation to victory lane.”
Custer is a native of Ladera Ranch, California. He surged onto the scene in September 2014 with a Camping World Truck Series win at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in only his seventh start, becoming the youngest driver in NASCAR national touring series history to win a race – at 16 years, seven months and 28 days. Earlier in the year he became the youngest to win a pole, as he took the honor at Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison, Illinois.
“I’m so excited to get this season started,” said Custer. “With all that JR Motorsports has accomplished over the past few years, we know we have everything needed to go win races and compete. I couldn’t ask for a better opportunity with a better organization. I really want to thank Haas Automation, along with Kelley and Dale Jr. for putting this deal together.”
Custer’s trucks will be based out of a JR Motorsports satellite shop in Mooresville, North Carolina. Joe Shear, Jr., will serve as the team’s crew chief. Shear Jr. was Custer’s crew chief in 2014 when they competed in nine truck races with one win, two top-five and six top-10 finishes with two poles. Shear Jr. is a nine-time winner in the Camping World Truck Series.
Custer’s ten-race Camping World Truck Series schedule includes races at Martinsville Speedway (March 28), Dover International Speedway (May 29), Gateway Motorsports Park (June 13), Iowa Speedway (June 19), Eldora Speedway (July 22), Bristol Motor Speedway (Aug. 19), Canadian Tire Motorsports Park (Aug. 30), New Hampshire Motor Speedway (Sept. 26), Martinsville Speedway (Oct. 31) and Phoenix International Raceway (Nov. 13).
In addition to Camping World Truck Series competition, JR Motorsports will field cars in select NASCAR K&N Pro Series and ARCA (Automobile Racing Club of America) events in 2015 as part of Custer’s development. Specifics to Custer’s schedule in those two series will be announced at a later date.
With so much success, at such young age, Cole Custer is definitely one to watch in the 2015 season and beyond.