Ross Chastain celebrates a last lap triumph at Talladega. (Photo: Sean Gardner | Getty Images)
As said in the sports world, a win’s a win and Ross Chastain won’t disagree with such following Sunday’s GEICO 500 at Talladega.
Make no mistake that Chastain had a great, fast No. 1 Moose Fraternity Chevrolet Camaro. Despite qualifying 19th, the Alva, Florida native and his Trackhouse Racing Team crew raced with confidence and poise.
After dropping from 19th to 33rd in stage 1, Chastain carved his way to ninth in stage 2, netting two stage points. The 29-year-old found some momentum by taking to the outside line in the stage 2, one of the key signs that “The Watermelon Man” was playing for keeps.
With the laps winding down in stage 3, it was all about not committing any mistakes. After all, there were no cautions for the final 64 laps.
Like the seasoned veteran he’s become since late last year, the Floridian bided his time, seemingly content to draft with the leaders like Kyle Larson and Erik Jones. He didn’t exactly show his best cards but he had a car capable of winning with the right opportunity at the right time.
Once Larson got past Denny Hamlin on lap 171, the action picked up for the final 18 laps. Mainly, Larson and Jones swapped the lead as the battle of the outside and inside lines waged on.
Jones, who led the field on the final lap, seemed prime for his first Cup win since the 2019 Southern 500 at Darlington. However, all bets were off as the contenders made their way off turn 4 and into the frontstretch.
Larson, appearing poised for a winning pass, got a hardy bump draft from Chastain, which sent the former to the outside line and into Kurt Busch. As Busch spun, Larson and Jones suddenly found Chastain toward their inside and snookering past them for the win.
Following his traditional watermelon smashing, Chastain took time to reflect on his second career Cup win.
“Absolutely mind-blowing, it is,” Chastain said, not in a Yoda like way. “I grew up short-track racing, so I just assumed and thought that was where I was the best. Turning right was hard, drafting was hard.”
Beyond winning his first superspeedway race of his Cup career, he noticed how his organization has made incredible gains in such a short time.
“I just thought I would never be able to catch up to guys that had been doing it so much longer than me. A lot of time and work and really good people surrounding me, we’ve closed the gap. There’s still a long ways to go. But, yeah, it’s absolutely mind-blowing.”
One of the signs of Chastain’s evolution as a Cup racer includes his ability to sense when to make the right, winning move. Patience seems to be a great teacher to the potential championship contender.
“Holy cow, I’m always the one going to the top too early, making the mistake,” he noted. “There at the end it was like eight to go, I was like, I’m not going up there again. I did that a couple times today.
“I was like, I’ll just ride on the bottom. If it works, I’m not going to lose the race for us, I’ll just let them.”
“There’s still a long ways to go. But, yeah, it’s absolutely mind-blowing.” (Photo: James Gilbert | Getty Images)
Similarly with his COTA success, Chastain acknowledged the incredible support from his Trackhouse Racing Team and their sponsors.
“Justin Marks (co-owner) and what he laid out for us was ambitious,” he said. “I had no idea, you know, what to expect other than I knew I had my group from last year, I had AdventHealth, the Moose, now with Worldwide Express and Jockey coming onboard, we’ve got partners. They’re believing in us.”
With Talladega in the books and Chastain’s Playoff position seemingly secure, Chastain, while thrilled, treated his latest success as a pivotal victory from his crucial 2019 season.
“I don’t put any of them ahead of any other one. This one and COTA, yeah, I mean, it’s Cup, it’s different, but, I mean, I put it right next to the Iowa Truck win.”
Stage 1 Top 10 Finishers
Wallace-Larson-Bell-Byron-Truex Jr./Elliott-Kurt Busch-Jones-Bowman-Stenhouse Jr.
Stage 2 Top 10 Finishers
Byron-Elliott-Larson-Truex Jr-Bowman/Kyle Busch-Almriola-Jones-Chastain-Kurt Busch
GEICO 500 Top 10 Finishers
Chastain-Austin Dillon-Kyle busch-Larson-Truex Jr./Jones-Elliott-McDowell-Bowman-Harvick
Editor’s Notes
Courtney Horn of Skirts and Scuffs contributed to this race recap from Talladega, Alabama.
