HOMESTEAD, Fla. – While Cole Custer isn’t at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway this weekend, he is still making headlines.
The soon to be full-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver for JR Motorsports will jumpstart his 2016 season by competing in the ARCA Racing Series season opener at Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in an entry fielded by Ken Schrader Racing.
The Feb. 13 running of the 80-lap season-opening event for ARCA will help satisfy NASCAR’s superspeedway approval process for the current NASCAR Next member’s restrictor plate debut in the No. 00 Haas Automation Chevrolet Silverado the following Friday, Feb. 19.
“I think since I haven’t ever run on a superspeedway it will really help me get used to the draft,” said Custer. “The ARCA Racing Series is a great place to get your feet wet and get comfortable with it.”
Custer is the youngest NASCAR Camping World Truck Series to date scoring his first-career victory last September at New Hampshire Motor Speedway at 16 years, 7 months, 28 days surpassing fellow NASCAR Next alum Erik Jones for the title.
To prepare the 17-year-old for his rookie season of NCWTS competition, the Ladera Ranch, California native competed in 10 NCWTS races this season earning one win at Gateway (Ill.) Motorsports Park from the pole and collecting three additional top-10 finishes.
In three career ARCA starts, all in 2015, Custer won in his most recent start at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway after starting fifth. He also earned the pole at New Jersey Motorsports Park, the series’ lone road course but finished fifth after being spun late in the race from the lead.
Custer also said that Haas Automation will sponsor his ARCA superspeedway debut. A car number for the effort is pending.
Custer and Ken Schrader Racing will participate in the open ARCA test at Daytona in early January.
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
