NASCAR driver reveals ‘chilling’ moment when disaster strikes after fatherhood gets off to a chaotic start

Cole Custer, the reigning Xfinity Series champion, has seen his life change recently. As he prepares for the upcoming NASCAR Xfinity Series playoff race in Las Vegas and takes steps toward a new role in the Cup Series, Custer is also balancing the challenges of parenthood.

The birth of his son, Callahan Brian Custer, during NASCAR’s Olympic break introduced a new level of responsibility for the driver. This transition to parenthood has been intense, to say the least.

Disaster struck recently as Custer and his wife Kari had another stressful time to add to the chaos. Her dog, Honey, a Portuguese Water Dog, ate part of a baby bottle and needed surgery.

“She’s fine. She’s on the mend. We had a little scare there,” Custer shared, via NBC Sports.

“The dream is hard. Having to understand everything and everything. It’s non-stop. You always have something to do. I think you get more and more excited with the pace, and my wife Kari has done a great job. with it, adjusting to it,” Custer admitted.

Despite a chaotic start to parenthood, Custer finds his footing, as all parents must.

On the tarmac, the driver is focused on the upcoming Xfinity Series playoff race in Las Vegas, hoping to earn a spot in the championship race in Phoenix next month. This race is crucial, as Custer is second in the series standings, just seven points behind Justin Allgaier and 11 points from the cut.

The stakes are high as Stewart-Haas Racing, co-owned by NASCAR veterans Tony Stewart and Gene Haas, is banking on Custer to potentially secure a championship, marking the end of his NASCAR legacy as the team is set to to close operations at the end. of the season For Custer, who has shown impressive form in Vegas with top-three finishes in his last two races there, the pressure is palpable.

Custer’s journey in NASCAR began early, bolstered by the legacy of his father, Joe Custer, the team president of Stewart-Haas Racing. Since making his Xfinity Series debut in 2016 with JR Motorsports, Custer has carved out a respected position in the NASCAR world.

His accomplishments include winning his first Xfinity Series race in 2017 and a Cup Series race in 2020, where he was named Sunoco Rookie of the Year. Returning to the Xfinity Series in 2023, Custer captured his first championship, driving the No. 00 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing. As he transitions to the Cup Series next season, driving for the revamped Haas Factory Team, Custer is ready for a new chapter in his racing career.

“You don’t get many opportunities to win championships. To have two years where you can go and win championships and hopefully come back, that’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing, so you’ve got to give it all you’ve got.” say

“You’ve just got to go out there and maximize what you’ve got. I think you put yourself in those situations where you’re trying to be aggressive, you’re probably giving yourself a 25 percent chance of getting wrecked. … You’re playing yourself into a hole. by trying to be aggressive and then tearing a place apart, that’s how you put yourself in a must-win situation.”