Columbia, MO (KMIZ)

When the NASCAR Cup Series came to the St Louis location for the initially time, Ross Chastain emerged as a single of the largest storylines. 

The driver of the No. 1 car or truck for Trackhouse Racing wrecked Denny Hamlin and later produced make contact with with Chase Elliot’s left rear quarter panel, spinning his car or truck about. The two drivers have been infuriated with Chastain, and every attempted to spend him back on numerous occasions later in the race. Regardless of their greatest efforts to get revenge, Chastain nonetheless scored a prime-ten finish. 

On the other hand, Chastain’s history at Planet Wide Technologies dates extended ahead of he place the bumper to Denny Hamlin. 

“I’ve got a incredibly distinctive history right here,” Chastain told ABC 17. “I came right here for the initially time in 2018 and commence and parked.” 

5 years ago Chastain took an chance to drive in the NASCAR Truck Series race at WWT Raceway though Justin Marks (who is now his existing boss at Trackhouse Racing) raced the Cup car or truck that Chastain typically drove in Sonoma, California.

“I came out right here with the group. They filled it up with gas, they place a single set of tires on it and we certified and began the race. Then when it ran out of gas, we place it in the garage due to the fact we had no pit crew,” Chastain mentioned.  

“We had no plans to race. We had no sponsors, but we all produced a tiny bit of funds. That is aspect of the back of the pack, the back of the garage. It is aspect of life. I’ve performed it a handful of instances in my profession. It is not anything I am super proud of.” 

Chastain did not keep in the back of the pack for extended. A handful of weeks later, he won the Xfinity Series race at Vegas Motor Speedway for Chip Ganassi Racing. It was his initially-ever NASCAR victory. 

“Some of the bosses at CGR at the time told me that I was performed commence and parking. I’d under no circumstances do it once again. I mentioned effectively, let’s under no circumstances say under no circumstances,” Chastain mentioned. 

“We come back once again [to WWT Raceway] in 2019 with Niece Motorsports and win the race. On a late no tire, fuel only contact. So back to the no tires, similar as the commence and park, and we have been in a position to hang on and win. So I’ve commence and parked, I’ve won, and now I’ve ran a Cup race at Gateway.” 

Lessons Discovered From Final Year

Regardless of the eighth-location finish, Chastain would be the initially to admit he produced errors in final year’s race at WWT. 

“Surely hit Denny as well difficult that initially time when I attempted to move him and wrecked him. That is not what I wanted to do, but I got to spend the penalty for that later in the year and eventually at Pocono, losing that race.” 

Aside from the on-track drama, a single moment from the race stood out in his thoughts.

“We have been on the pace laps, and I see this flame go up and I could really feel the heat, and I never know if it was just my thoughts playing tricks on me due to the fact it appears sort of odd that I would really feel it,” Chastain mentioned. “I swear I felt the heat from this explosion and it was a huge bomb they set off. Pyrotechnics, fireworks, and a massive ol bomb.” 

Comfy Producing Other Drivers Uncomfortable

Considering that coming to Gateway final June, Chastain produced it to the Championship round of the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs right after pulling off a miracle move to safe a fourth-location finish at the Round of eight cutoff race at Martinsville Speedway by riding the wall to move up 5 spots on the final lap.  

The move was nicknamed the “Hail Melon” due to the fact of Chastain’s background as a watermelon farmer in Florida. NASCAR has due to the fact banned it.

The move immediately became an iconic moment in the sport. It was featured on tv applications such as Sports Center and videos across social media. It even gained the interest of some Formula One particular drivers across the globe.

“That was really the second rule they produced about us,” Chastain mentioned with a smile. “Earlier the year at Indianapolis, I had utilized an access road that is there to use anytime you want, and I just did it a tiny as well goof, and we nearly won the race. They ended up penalizing us right after.” 

Chastain has also ruffled some feathers for his aggressive style of racing. Final month he once again produced headlines for punching Noah Gragson in Kansas right after Gragson confronted him on pit road. 

On the other hand, Chastian’s aggressive style has led to substantially of his good results. But it has also produced him unpopular amongst his competitors. Lots of drivers have named him out in the media. Since of his reputation as a racer, he is frequently the initially particular person people today point the finger at when there is a wreck. Even if it is not his fault.

Chastain does not take pleasure in getting the villain. 

“I am a human getting,” Chastain explained. “I never want people today to hate me or dislike me. So that is naturally in my DNA, but they got me quoted saying lately and I did not even know I mentioned it this way, ‘I’m comfy generating other drivers uncomfortable,’ and that is the truth.”

If they are a tiny uncomfortable, it is okay. I am uncomfortable about some of them. I just never go blurting it out to a media member proper when I get a microphone.” 

Hungry For More 

Chastain earned his initially profession NASCAR Cup Series win at the Circut of the Americas spring race in 2022 and followed that up with a further win at Talladega Superspeedway. 

This season he leads the points standings even even though he is nonetheless looking for his initially victory. He would adore for it to come on an oval track. 

“It is quite wild we won on a superspeedway and a road course, Chastain mentioned. “We’re operating just as difficult as ever to get that initially accurate classic oval win. It is not lost on us that we have not performed that as a group but.” 

Chastain joined Trackhouse final season, a group that Justin Marks and the musical artist Pitbull personal. Chastain has often been confident in his skills. Now that he is with Trackhouse, he feels that he is in a car or truck that can win each and every race. 

“Justin and Pitbull just lead by instance of getting good and, you know, wanting to do additional,” Chastain mentioned when asked about the secret to Trackhouses’s early good results.

“It just appears so wild that we can sit right here and speak about the car or truck I am driving possessing a likelihood to win a cup race. It is nonetheless a bit surreal for me. But we prepare to win, and if the chance presents itself, we’ll be there to grab it.”