MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – Cole Custer is focused solely on winning the 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship, not a potential future in the NASCAR Cup Series next season.
Custer was not willing to confirm a Motorsport.com report via sources that the 21-year-old driver would replace Daniel Suarez in the No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford Mustang in 2020. Suarez confirmed on Thursday evening via social media that he will not be back in the No. 41 for 2020.
“Right now, I’m just trying to focus on the championship,” Custer said during Championship 4 Media Day at the Miami Beach Edition on Thursday. “I’ve just really tried to stay out of it. I mean, honestly, this is a really big weekend for us to win a championship in the Xfinity Series.”
RELATED: 2019 Xfinity Series race winners | Key players in Silly Season
Racing in his third full-time Xfinity Series season, Custer is set to battle Justin Allgaier, Christopher Bell and Tyler Reddick for the title in Saturday’s Ford EcoBoost 300 championship finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway (3:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN/NBC Sports App, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Custer competed in trio of Monster Energy Series races, piloting the No. 51 Rick Ware Racing entry at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Pocono Raceway and Richmond Raceway in 2018.