After an additional time restart that noticed title contenders have interaction in a wide ranging three-wide battle down the backstretch, Cole Custer deftly negotiated a tightly bunched pack of vehicles to win the NASCAR Xfinity Collection Championship race and the sequence title on Saturday at Phoenix Raceway.

The victory was the third of the season for Custer, who returned to full-time Xfinity Collection racing this yr after a lackluster three-year stint within the NASCAR Cup Collection that produced a single victory.

However Custer proved his mettle after slipping from first to 3rd within the working order moments after the ultimate restart. Championship 4 driver John Hunter Nemechek held a fleeting lead however couldn’t flip his No. 20 Toyota in Flip 1 and misplaced the highest spot to title contender Simply Allgaier.

The ultimate lap of Cole Custer’s @XfinityRacing Championship victory! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/diu4ohnJXp

— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) November 5, 2023

Custer steered his No. 00 Stewart Haas Racing Ford to the within of Allgaier’s Chevrolet because the three championship hopefuls raced side-by-side down the backstretch earlier than Custer emerged with the lead. A lap later, Custer crossed the end line 0.601s forward of charging Sheldon Creed and one other 0.007s forward of Allgaier to win for the primary time at Phoenix and the thirteenth time in his profession.

“I believed it was over,” stated Custer, who had two earlier runner-up finishes within the sequence standings. “I imply, went from first to 3rd, and I used to be capable of shift the automobile all night time. And Doug Yates horsepower labored out, pulled me off the nook. I can’t consider we received that factor after going again to 3rd on that restart.

“Man, I can’t say sufficient about these guys (his Stewart Haas workforce). We began the yr off and it was a battle, and we needed to form of dig deep with one another, actually discuss the right way to get higher and to see how a lot this group has grown by way of the yr.

“I’ve been ready to listen to (congratulations from Xfinity Collection director) Wayne (Auton) on the radio for a number of occasions now, so I’m pumped.”

Allgaier spun beneath Nemechek on lap three and labored his method again to the entrance from thirty eighth within the working order, however Custer had the superior automobile on quick runs and proved it after the ultimate restart.

“I don’t know if I’ll get one other shot at it once more subsequent yr,” stated the 37-year-old Allgaier. “We at the very least could have a shot at it, however I don’t know if we’ll make it. However so happy with the trouble of this workforce and what we had been capable of accomplish. The restart was unbelievable. I believed we did the whole lot proper.

“The No. 20 (Nemechek) form of missed the underside and drove all the best way up, and truthfully, I used to be afraid I used to be going to run into the again of him. After I tried to show again down the hill, it simply was sufficient to let the No. 00 (Custer) get again to my inside and in the end getting down into Flip 3…

“I don’t know, I’m going to replay this one again in my head a pair occasions. I drove in there fairly deep and simply form of washed up. The No. 00 had the turning automobile all night time, and we had been just a bit bit too free.”

Riley Herbst ran fourth on Saturday, adopted by title contender Sam Mayer. Nemechek, a series-best seven-time winner this season, suffered a flat tire after the ultimate restart, slammed the surface wall and completed twenty eighth.

“Drove in, and it didn’t flip,” Nemechek stated of Flip 1 after the ultimate restart. “I don’t know if we had a proper entrance (tire) begin taking place or what precisely it was, however simply drove in and didn’t flip.

“Toyota GR Supra was actually quick, however drive down, it doesn’t flip, it’s not an excellent factor. Then as soon as we obtained pinched within the fence there off of [Turn 2], it form of harm the correct sides much more. I feel we had a proper rear begin taking place, as properly.

“It sucks to finish up the place we completed. Had a extremely sturdy effort all day. Happy with this complete No. 20 crew. Happy with this complete group. Simply sucks to finish our season this fashion, however general, a extremely profitable season for this No. 20 workforce, Joe Gibbs Racing. Was proud to be behind the wheel of this No. 20 automobile all yr, and 7 wins is rather a lot to be happy with.”

In a race that produced eight cautions for a complete of 46 laps, Custer led 96 of 202 laps to 66 for Nemechek.

Josh Berry, Austin Hill, Chandler Smith, pole winner Sammy Smith and Kaz Grala accomplished the highest 10.

RESULTS