Cole Custer's Pocono win could open the floodgates for defending Xfinity Series champ

The only thing Cole Custer hadn't done before Saturday's NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Pocono? Win.

The defending Xfinity Series champ had led laps, finished top-10 in 14 of 18 races, come heartbreakingly close to victory at New Hampshire and led the points standings going into Saturday's Explore The Pocono Mountains 225, but he finally closed the deal on Saturday for his first win of the season.

The win doesn't just lock Custer into the playoffs or give him five extra playoff points — it could be the catalyst for a huge second half of the season.

After two middling runs at the superspeedways of Daytona and Atlanta to open the season, Custer caught fire, finishing top-10 in 14 of the next 16 races. Included in this Lee Petty-esque span were seven top-five's, including the aforementioned race at New Hampshire.

Custer led 114 laps at New Hampshire before losing in overtime to Christopher Bell, but the No. 00 team finally proved that they could be in the mix when the pay window opened.

On Saturday, Custer had to earn his victory twice, passing Justin Allgaier both under the green flag and on the race's final restart to claim the win.

For Custer, however, the win shows both himself and his team that they can show speed and close out races, a trait which had been the Achilles heel for Custer's team through the first half of the season.

With tracks such as Indianapolis, Michigan and Darlington all coming up over the next two months of the season, don't be surprised if Custer's Pocono win ignites a hot streak that he can ride all the way into the playoffs. Looking to defend his 2023 championship and earn another shot in the NASCAR Cup Series, Custer has every right to leave everything on the track over the final 14 races of the season.

The Xfinity Series field may need to take precautions — if the No. 00 team starts firing on all cylinders, they'll be very difficult to stop.