Cole Custer masters Gateway, becomes the youngest driver (16 years old) to ever win Truck Series pole - MotorSportsTalk

16-year-old Cole Custer became the youngest driver to ever earn the pole in a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, and will lead the field to the green for Saturday night’s Drivin’ For Linemen 200 at Gateway Motorsports Park in suburban St. Louis.

Custer was fastest in the final practice session earlier in the day at the Madison, Illinois track, and then came right back to take the top starting spot in qualifying with a speed of 136.426 mph at 32.985 seconds. Both marks are new track records.

Even more surprising, it was Custer’s first-ever qualifying effort in a truck.

“I think we want to win, think we have a car capable of winning,” Custer said. “If we just bide our time and save our tires just a little bit and run a smart race, we’re going to be fine.”

Darrell Wallace Jr., just 20-years-old himself, was second-fastest (136.401 mph) and will start on the outside of the front row, followed by Erik Jones (136.289), Gray Gaulding (135.923), Chase Pistone (135.743) and Jeb Burton (135.689).

Seventh- through 12th-fastest were Tyler Reddick (135.505), Joey Coulter (135.322), German Quiroga Jr. (135.155), Timothy Peters (135.123), Matt Crafton (134.981) and John Hunter Nemechek (134.823).

Only eight drivers in the 32-driver field have ever raced previously at Gateway.

Here’s the starting order for Saturday night’s Drivin’ For Linemen 200 at Gateway Motorsports Park in Madison, Illinois:

Row 1 Cole Custer, Darrell Wallace Jr.

Row 2 Erik Jones, Gray Gaulding

Row 3 Chase Pistone, Jeb Burton

Row 4 Tyler Reddick, Joey Coulter

Row 5 German Quiroga Jr., Timothy Peters

Row 6 Matt Crafton, John Hunter Nemechek

Row 7 Johnny Sauter, Ryan Blaney

Row 8 John Wes Townley, Ron Hornaday Jr.

Row 9 Ben Kennedy, Taylor Malsam

Row 10 Mason Mingus, Ray Black Jr.

Row 11 Justin Jennings, Tyler Young

Row 12 Bryan Silas, T.J. Bell

Row 13 Ted Minor, Norm Bening

Row 14 Korbin Forrister, Charles Lewandoski

Row 15 Jennifer Jo Cobb, Scott Stenzel

Row 16 Caleb Roark, Adam Edwards

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It took four attempts for Kyle Larson to win his first High Limit Sprint Car Series race in the series he co-owns with brother-in-law Brad Sweet, but once he found victory lane, he has been undefeated with his win at Eagle (Nebraska) Raceway. For the second week, Abreu led early only to fall prey to Larson.

The win was Larson’s third straight victory and the fifth consecutive top-five, giving him a perfect sweep of the season after finishing 10th in last year’s inaugural race at Lincoln Park Speedway in Putnamville, Indiana.

Larson started third behind Abreu and Brent Marks but was embroiled in a fierce battle with Anthony Macri for third during the first dozen laps. Larson slipped by Macri in traffic until a red flag waved for a flip by Lachlan McHugh.

Meanwhile at the front of the pack, Marks retook the lead from Abreu on Lap 18. Larson followed one lap later and then caution waved again. Tyler Courtney lost power and fell to 24th after starting eighth.

Marks scooted away on the restart but tragedy struck in Lap 26. Leading the race, Marks hit a pothole in Turn 1, bicycled and then flipped, handing the lead to Larson.

Abreu caught Larson again during the final laps and in a reprise of their battle at Tri-City Speedway, the two threw sliders at one another for several laps until Larson built some separation and ran away to the checkers.

𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗧. 𝗪𝗔𝗦. 𝗘𝗣𝗜𝗖.@EagleRaceway went above and beyond in their return to the main stage with the High Limit Sprint Car Series tonight!

pic.twitter.com/H3XKQEOpg6

— High Limit Racing (@HighLimitRacing) June 7, 2023

“I didn’t feel like my pace in [Turns] 1 & 2 slowed down a ton,” Larson said from victory lane. “I missed it once there and then I saw his nose in 3 & 4. I didn’t know if he nailed the bottom that well behind me and I think he might have slid me in the next corner, so he was definitely on the top.

“I was nervous to move up there because my car was really pogoing up in the entry of 1. I got up just in time, made a few mistakes and he threw a couple more sliders at me but he was just a little too far back and I was able to squirt around him. Then I really had to commit to hitting my marks – back my effort down a bit to avoid mistakes.”

After leading early, Abreu fell back as far as sixth, but faith in his car kept hope alive.

“I just needed to do a few things a few laps before I did and fix some angles, then my car got a whole lot better,” Abreu said. “I’m thankful for this team; they do an amazing job. They don’t give up on me. I know my car is going to be there right at the end of these races, so it’s just the discipline of being patient.”

For Abreu, it was his third near-miss this season. He was leading at Lakeside in the 2023 opener until a tire went flat in the closing laps and he lost the lead to Larson late in the Tri-City Speedway race. Abreu has finished sixth or better in his last three High Limit races with each result being progressively better until his pair of runner-up results.

Third-place finisher Scelzi was the hard charger, advancing from 17th.

“I had a very specific plan; don’t go near [the hole in Turn 1],” Scelzi said. “It worked out. No one wanted to start on the top. I think I gained a couple of rows there on the choose cone and ran the middle, which seemed to be better than right around the bottom.”

Michael “Buddy” Kofoid in fourth and Macri rounded out the top five.

World of Outlaws star and former NASCAR driver Kasey Kahne was one of 41 entrants, but he was not among the 26 starters. He failed to advance to the Main after finishing eighth in the B Main and seventh in his heat.

Feature Results

A Feature (40 Laps): 1. 57-Kyle Larson[4]; 2. 24-Rico Abreu[1]; 3. 18-Giovanni Scelzi[17]; 4. 71-Michael Kofoid[5]; 5. 39M-Anthony Macri[3]; 6. 9-Chase Randall[9]; 7. 26-Zeb Wise[14]; 8. 1X-Jake Bubak[15]; 9. 8-Aaron Reutzel[10]; 10. 14D-Corey Day[18]; 11. 11-Cory Eliason[12]; 12. 5T-Ryan Timms[11]; 13. 88-Austin McCarl[13]; 14. 21H-Brady Bacon[22]; 15. 48-Danny Dietrich[16]; 16. 7S-Robbie Price[19]; 17. 21-Brian Brown[23]; 18. 22-Riley Goodno[26]; 19. 52-Blake Hahn[25]; 20. 15H-Sam Hafertepe Jr[21]; 21. 3J-Dusty Zomer[6]; 22. 14-Cole Macedo[7]; 23. 19-Brent Marks[2]; 24. 7BC-Tyler Courtney[8]; 25. 25-Lachlan McHugh[20]; 26. 53-Jack Dover[24]

2023 High Limit Sprint Car Series

Race 1: Giovanni Scelzi wins at Lakeside Speedway
Race2: Anthony Macri wins at 34 Raceway
Race 3: Kyle Larson wins at Wayne County Speedway
Race 4: Kyle Larson wins at Tri-City Speedway

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