Rookie Custer pulls off a surprise at Kentucky

SPARTA, KY. >> Cole Custer saw an opening and, with help from a friend, squeezed through for the most fulfilling moment of his young racing career.

Custer became the first rookie regular to win in the NASCAR Cup Series in nearly four years, surging to the lead in a four-wide, final-lap scramble Sunday at Kentucky Speedway.

Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. were dueling side by side for the lead on the Lap 266 final restart when Custer — with a push from Matt DiBenedetto on the outside — made his move from sixth in the No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford. As the leaders bunched in Turn 1, Custer slid ahead and outlasted Truex’s Toyota.

“I knew I just had to get to the top,” said Custer, who led twice for five laps — the first of his young career.

“The top rolled pretty good and once I got past and I was like in third I was like, ‘I’ve just got to take a shot and do whatever I can here.’

“And it ended up the 4 (Harvick) and the 19 (Truex) got together a little bit and I was able to take advantage of it.”

Making his 20th series start, the 22-year-old Custer celebrated with a frontstretch burnout as his crew happily ran to greet him.

He’s the first rookie to win a non-rain-shortened race since Juan Pablo Montoya in 2007.

Custer also won at Kentucky last July in the Xfinity Series.

Matt Kenseth’s Turn 4 spin forced the final caution and created the opportunity for Custer’s victory.

DiBenedetto was third, and Harvick fourth — both in Fords. Kurt Busch, the winner last year, was fifth.

“I got a good restart and was curious what he was going to do,” DiBenedetto said about helping Custer. “When he pulled to the top, I was like, ‘Yeah, that was a good move right there.’ And I just decided to shove him since I couldn’t go around to the outside.

“It helped him to get to the win and I joked with him that he owes me $100. But he did a great job.”