While there was a championship battle to be settled last Saturday
night at the K&N West Series finale at Phoenix International Raceway, it
was the two youngest drivers from the East who dominated the event.
There was action as soon as the green flag took flight, yet
it was the last lap battle between Cole Custer and Gray Gaulding, which left
the crowd wondering if the correct driver got the win.
Most felt Custer deserved the win, but Gaulding was the
first to the checkered flag after making contact with Custer. After the race Gaulding told me “my mindset
going into turn three was to do the bump and run but with the speeds we are
running here it sent him around.” Custer had a different point of view “I don’t
know how you can’t control yourself one last lap… he’s done it three other
times this year.”
Gaulding did exactly what he said in his interview, he drove
in hard in an attempt to get to Custer’s bumper. His move appeared reminiscent of
his last lap move at Battle at the Beach in which he sent the leader spinning.
Gaulding is a young driver with talent trying to prove that he has the skill to
be here, so he will do whatever he has to, to win. He saw his opportunity to
capture his first win, so he took it, to me the move was done to fast and hard
to even attempt the bump and run. In Daytona it looked like a blatant take out,
Phoenix looked to have a plan that was executed poorly. Gaulding reminds me of
Kasey Kahne in his first season with Hendrick, trying too hard, and going a
little too far, he needs to settle down and look at the big picture. He is
still young with a lot to learn but Gaulding has a bright future ahead.
-Stephen Appell
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