Cole Custer takes his seventh win of the season at Dover

Cole Custer claimed the checkered flag for the seventh time this season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Dover (Del.) International Speedway.

Custer led 31 laps en route to the win, the ninth of his career.

Justin Allgaier was second, Austin Cindric third, Justin Haley fourth and Chase Briscoe fifth.

This was also an elimination race and four drivers were eliminated from the 2019 playoffs: John-Hunter Nemechek, Justin Haley, Ryan Sieg and Brandon Jones.

The final stage went green on Lap 98/200 with Cindric in control, but Briscoe quickly moved into the race lead. 

The run went long and so, green-flag pit stops became a factor. Gragson kicked them off with just about 40 laps to go. 

Race leader Briscoe would pit with 32 laps remaining, but a caution soon after would change everything.

Dillon Bassett spun while trying to enter the pits, forcing a yellow flag while Nemechek was making his way down pit road for his own stop.

Only Custer, Haley and Michael Annett remained on the lead lap. Allgaier was the free pass and Briscoe, like several others, was forced to take the wave-around. 

This set up a 15-lap sprint which was abbreviated by a three-car incident at the back of the pack.

The race resumed with seven laps to go, but Allgaier had nothing for Custer as he would take the checkered flag an even second ahead of the JR Motorsports driver.

Stage 1

The 200-lapper got off to a messy start with Tyler Reddick contacting the wall out of Turn 2 on the opening lap. Behind him, Harrison Burton spun and collected Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Brandon Jones. The incident effectively ended Jones’ 2019 title hopes.

Things went from bad to worse for the JGR outfit with Christopher Bell forced onto pit road with no fuel pressure. He returned to the race, but 14 laps down. 

Nemechek got into the back of Mike Harmon, sending the No. 74 spinning for the second caution of the day.

Custer was in hot pursuit of Allgaier for the stage win, but could not quite get there. Allgaier would take the stage win ahead of Custer, Cindric, Zane Smith, Haley, Noah Gragson, Briscoe, Sieg, Nemechek and Michael Annett.

Stage 2

Custer would lost a plethora of spots on pit road, falling outside the top-ten before the start of the second stage.

It was a very different story for Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Briscoe, he charged from the back of the field to a position inside the top-five.

The stage was much cleaner than the first with no yellows and Allgaier easily able to take yet another stage win. He was followed by Cindric, Briscoe, Gragson, Custer, Smith, Nemechek, Haley, Annett and Sieg.

Cla#DriverManufacturerLapsTimeLaps Led
100 Cole Custer Ford200 31
27 Justin Allgaier Chevrolet2001.067
322 Austin Cindric Ford2002.029
411 Justin Haley Chevrolet2002.461 
598 Chase Briscoe Ford2002.55971
61 Michael Annett Chevrolet2004.3111
79 Noah Gragson Chevrolet2004.550 
823 John Hunter Nemechek Chevrolet1991 lap 
98Zane Smith Chevrolet1991 lap 
1039 Ryan Sieg Chevrolet1991 lap 
1186 Brandon Brown Chevrolet1982 laps 
122 Tyler Reddick Chevrolet1982 laps 
134 Ross Chastain Chevrolet1982 laps 
1490 Dillon Bassett Chevrolet1982 laps 
1536 Josh Williams Chevrolet1982 laps 
1615 B.J. McLeod Chevrolet1973 laps 
1707 Ray Black Jr. Chevrolet1973 laps 
1808 Gray Gaulding Chevrolet1964 laps 
1999 Stefan Parsons Toyota1964 laps 
2078 Vinnie Miller Toyota1964 laps 
2152 David Starr Chevrolet1955 laps 
2235 Joey Gase Toyota1946 laps 
2301 Stephen Leicht Chevrolet18317 laps 
245 Matt Mills Toyota18317 laps 
2520 Christopher Bell Toyota16634 laps 
260 Garrett Smithley Chevrolet10496 laps 
2766 Timmy Hill Toyota62138 laps 
2813 Carl Long Toyota56144 laps 
2989 Landon Cassill Chevrolet55145 laps 
3017 Joe Nemechek Chevrolet53147 laps1
3161 Chad Finchum Toyota33167 laps 
3293 J.J. Yeley Chevrolet27173 laps 
3338 Bayley Currey Chevrolet23177 laps 
3474 Mike Harmon Chevrolet19181 laps 
3553 Kyle Weatherman Chevrolet12188 laps 
3651 Jeremy Clements Chevrolet9191 laps 
3719 Brandon Jones Toyota2198 laps 
3818 Harrison Burton Toyota2198 laps 

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