Chandler Smith calls out Cole Custer after Martinsville pit road fight

Bad blood between Chandler Smith and Cole Custer in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. With a Championship 4 spot on the line, emotions boiled over. Drivers traded bump and runs and Smith took exception to how Custer conducted himself.

Following the race, Chandler Smith went to pit road and punched Cole Custer as Aric Almirola celebrated his sweep of Martinsville this season. Then the two talked to reporters.

When asked about the punch, Smith opened up on The CW broadcast.

“I was planning to do a lot more than that to be completely frank with you, I was extremely pissed off,” Smith explained. “I gave him five laps before that before that caution came out, beat his bumper off and never shipped him or anything like that. Then finally it’s like alright, the laps are winding down. I’m in a must-win, the 20’s starting to drive away. He was really good all day. Ican’t waste any more time with him. So, I finally had a good enough run and pushed him up the race track and went on our way. But I gave him a chance for five laps before that, right?

“Well, I think he was the first guy all day who chose the outside lan from third place so that’s very interesting. And then he didn’t even give me a chance to make the corner when we got to turn one and funny enough, the restart right after that, picked right behind me again. How ironic is that?”

Cole Custer felt that he and Chandler Smith were even after the race. Smith bumped him. He bumped Smith. So, why was a punch needed?

Besides, Custer feels that Smith took a win from him this season. He thought he had Kansas and blames Smith for losing out on that win.

“He can think we’re even and all but he’s the one that’s got more stakes than I do next weekend as well,” Smith said.

Look, Chandler Smith is a man with nothing to lose. He has no ride in 2025 lined up. Despite an average finish of 4.63 in the last 11 races, Smith has no job for next season. So, what does he care if he goes and cleans Custer out of the championship race?

Keep an eye on the 81 and 00 cars next week. If they get close to one another, we could see fireworks.