BRISTOL, Tenn. -- Cole Custer has capped off the regular season by winning at Bristol Motor Speedway after leading the final 92 laps.
Custer took control of the race from Chandler Smith during the final stage and then he built up a sizable lead over the field while navigating his way through lapped traffic. No other drivers could track him down before he captured the checkered flag at the historic Tennessee short track.
Sheldon Creed finished second on Friday night. Smith crossed the line third. Jesse Love and Ryan Truex rounded out the top five. Dale Earnhardt Jr., making his lone start of the season, finished seventh after a late battle with Truex.
MORE: Cole Custer wins, full results
The race was not a simple example of domination, however. Custer actually hit the wall in the first two laps of the race and brought out the caution. He used up one of his three sets of tires. He then spent the last 140 laps of the race on one set of tires but still managed to win.
Playoff picture: Custer is the regular-season champion after his win, combined with issues for Justin Allgaier. He will lock up bonus playoff points ahead of the opener at Kansas next weekend.
"It's huge to get this momentum because our confidence was going down there this last month, so to get this win really means a lot," Custer said after the race.
.@ColeCuster captures the @NASCAR_Xfinity regular season championship with a huge win in Bristol! 🏆 pic.twitter.com/Xqc6rEKONz
— The CW Sports (@TheCW_Sports) September 21, 2024
Sammy Smith, who finished 15th, took the final playoff spot and completed the 12-driver field. Smith will now face off with Custer, Allgaier, Shane van Gisbergen, Riley Herbst, Sam Mayer, Austin Hill, Jesse Love, Chandler Smith, AJ Allmendinger, Sheldon Creed, and Parker Kligerman.
Stage 1: Chandler Smith won stage 1. Jesse Love, Sheldon Creed, AJ Allmendinger, Anthony Alfredo, Jeremy Clements, Cole Custer, Jeffrey Earnhardt, Ryan Truex, and Joe Graf Jr. were all top 10.
Stage 2: The caution flew before the end of the stage due to Allgaier spinning after contact with Creed. The veteran driver made slight contact with the inside SAFER barrier and set up a late 11-lap dash to the end of stage 2.
Jeremy Clements won stage 2 after staying out after the Allgaier caution. Custer, Truex, Creed, Smith, Love, Riley Herbst, Sam Mayer, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Parker Kligerman were all top 10.
The Nos. 7 and 81 make contact and @J_Allgaier goes for a slide down the backstretch! pic.twitter.com/rjoKhEQJVr
— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) September 21, 2024
Kligerman scored enough points during the first two stages of the race to lock up a spot in the playoffs. This left only one spot in the playoffs on points or through a win.
Next: The Xfinity Series playoffs kick off with a trip to Kansas Speedway. Twelve drivers will enter the Sept. 28 race with championship drivers. All will have the goal of winning the first playoff race and automatically moving on to the Round of 8.