Chicago Xfinity starting lineup: Cole Custer wins pole
CHICAGO — Cole Custer won the pole for Saturday's Xfinity Series race on the Chicago street course.
"It's huge. We're in Chicago. Buildings right there. When we got here, this is the coolest thing in NASCAR in I don't even know since when," an excited Custer told NBC Sports' Kim Coon after winning his fourth pole of the season and second in a row.
"Our guys are clicking on all cylinders. ... This program is really running good right now. We just got to keep it rolling into the playoffs."
Custer said he did only one lap in the final round of qualifying because he felt like he might wreck on a second lap.
Custer won the pole with a lap of 90.421 seconds (87.590 mph) around the 12-turn, 2.2-mile street course.
Sheldon Creed (87.573 mph) qualified second but bounced off the wall in Turn 8 and damaged his car. He'll have to start at the rear for either going to a backup car or for making repairs to his primary car.
John Hunter Nemechek (87.308) qualified third and was followed by Connor Mosack (87.016) and Austin Hill (86.597).
Today's race is scheduled to take the green flag at 5:21 p.m. ET on USA Network.
Failing to qualify were Jeffrey Earnhardt, Dexter Bean, Joey Gase, Dexter Stacey and Dawson Cram.
