Cole Custer had all the makings for a successful defense of his NASCAR Xfinity Series championship from a year ago, leading the title-eligible quartet until Justin Allgaier’s late-race surge. Austin Hill also seemed to have a potential upper hand,

Defending NASCAR Xfinity Series champ Cole Custer joins ‘Sports Nation Nightly’ ahead of the Championship 4. He and Joe talk about what it takes to win, the hard work put in behind the scenes, and dealing with a heated rival.

Justin Allgaier has come up one spot short of a championship twice, most recently last year when he lost to Cole Custer in overtime at Phoenix. This year, with the odds repeatedly stacked against him, Allgaier overcame to secure JR Motorsports the 2024 NASCAR Xfinity Series championship.