With one practice session in the books at Daytona International Speedway, Cole Custer finds himself sitting 35th on the speed charts as he prepares for Daytona 500 qualifying tonight at 8 PM ET on FS1. Driving the No. 41 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Stewart-Haas Racing, Custer will need to find more speed if he hopes to secure a strong starting position for Sunday’s Great American Race.
Practice Takeaways: Finding Speed Before Qualifying
Custer’s P35 result in practice is not necessarily a cause for concern just yet. Daytona practice speeds can be misleading, as teams often experiment with different setups, draft strategies, and single-car versus pack runs. However, with Daytona 500 qualifying featuring single-car runs, outright speed will be crucial in determining starting spots for the Bluegreen Vacations Duels on Thursday night.
Stewart-Haas Racing as a whole didn’t show dominant speed in practice, meaning the team may still be refining their superspeedway package heading into tonight’s session.
What’s Next? Qualifying Strategy and Duel Implications
Unlike most NASCAR races, the Daytona 500 lineup is set through a unique format:
• Front Row Lock-In: The two fastest cars in single-car qualifying tonight will lock in their starting spots for the Daytona 500.
• Duel Races: The rest of the field will be determined by the finishing order of Thursday night’s Bluegreen Vacations Duels.
For Custer, a fast lap tonight could help him secure a better starting spot in his Duel, making his path to Sunday’s race less stressful. However, if his single-car speed lags behind, he may have to rely on racecraft in the draft to improve his position.
Custer’s Return to the Cup Series
This Daytona 500 marks Cole Custer’s return to full-time Cup Series competition after spending 2023 in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, where he won the championship. His promotion back to the No. 41 car comes with high expectations, as Stewart-Haas Racing looks to rebound from a tough 2024 campaign.
Superspeedways like Daytona can be unpredictable, but for Custer, a strong qualifying effort tonight could set the tone for his 2025 season. Fans can catch all the action live at 8 PM ET on FS1.
