Cole Custer Reflects on Daytona 500 Chaos: Last-Lap Wreck, Bell Incident, and Setting the Record Straight

Two days after the dust settled on the 2025 Daytona 500, Cole Custer is still processing the chaos that unfolded in the final laps. From his tangle with Christopher Bell earlier in the race to the dramatic last-lap wreck that reshuffled the finishing order, Custer knows his name has been a hot topic among fans and media. And while he may not always seek out the spotlight, today, he took the opportunity to share his side of the story.

Looking Back at the Final-Lap Mayhem

As the field charged toward the checkered flag, the intensity was at its peak. Custer, caught in the storm of aggressive moves and split-second decisions, found himself involved in the multi-car pileup that ultimately shaped the race’s outcome.

Now, with a couple of days to reflect, Custer offered his perspective on what happened.

“You’re doing everything you can to put yourself in position to win, but at the same time, you’re relying on a lot of things going right around you,” Custer said. “We were all just pushing as hard as we could, and sometimes it just doesn’t work out.”

While he didn’t place blame on any single driver, Custer acknowledged that superspeedway racing is always a high-risk, high-reward game—one where the smallest miscalculation can turn a good run into a wrecked race car in an instant.

Cole Custer on his view, two days removed, of the last-lap Daytona 500 wreck and the previous wreck with Christopher Bell. And did he do a media zoom today b/c he wanted to give his side? (fyi the Dan we refer to is a Ford publicist). pic.twitter.com/OhqrzQg1pV

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) February 18, 2025

The Bell Wreck: Racing Hard or Racing Reckless?

Custer’s incident with Christopher Bell earlier in the race also drew scrutiny. The two tangled in what some saw as a racing deal, while others questioned whether Custer had been too aggressive. Two days later, he stood by his approach.

“I don’t think there was anything intentional there,” Custer explained. “We were just racing hard, and unfortunately, it didn’t work out for both of us.”

Bell, who was none too pleased after the incident, has yet to fully comment on whether he feels differently with time. But for Custer, it was just another example of Daytona’s unpredictable nature.

Setting the Record Straight

Custer’s decision to participate in today’s media Zoom raised some eyebrows. Did he feel the need to explain himself? Was this a Ford-driven move to manage the story?

“Honestly, I just wanted to give my side,” Custer admitted. “I know there’s been a lot of talk, and I don’t want anything to get twisted. Dan [a Ford publicist] just helped make it happen.”

For Custer, controlling the narrative is key. He knows how quickly opinions can form and how easily incidents can be misinterpreted in the heat of the moment. Rather than let speculation run wild, he took the proactive approach of facing the media head-on.

Moving Forward

With Daytona behind him, Custer is already focused on the next challenge. The season is just beginning, and while his Daytona 500 didn’t end the way he hoped, he’s eager to move on and prove himself as a contender.

“I don’t want one race to define the season,” Custer said. “We’ve got a lot of racing ahead, and I know this team is capable of big things.”

For now, the controversy lingers, but Custer has made his stance clear: It was hard racing, not bad intentions. Whether his competitors—and fans—agree is another story entirely.