Chastain sits tight for win number two
NASCAR CUP TALLADEGA (USA) 24 APRIL ROUND 10/36
Superspeedway racing in the NASCAR Cup Series often comes down to making the right move at the right time. But Ross Chastain’s victory in Sunday’s race at Talladega came by making no move at all.
Entering the final of 188 laps, Chastain had got his Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet up to third, behind leader Erik Jones and Kyle Larson. Chastain gave Larson’s Hendrick Chevy a nudge, which moved up the track in an attempt to pass the
Petty GMS Chevy of Jones.
Jones, however, left the bottom lane and went high to block Larson, which left Chastain on the bottom and with the momentum to reach the chequered flag 0.105 seconds ahead of Austin Dillon.
“I’m always the one going to the top too early, making the mistake,” Chastain said.
“There at the end it was 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 worked, I’m not going to lose the race for us, I’ll just let them. They kept going up, kept moving out of the way!”
The win is the second of Chastain’s career, both coming this season and in the past five races. This is Chastain’s first season driving for Trackhouse Racing, which is co-owned by former driver
Justin Marks and Grammy Award-winning rapper Pitbull. “We started the year with a lot of races open [for sponsorship],” said Chastain. “We’re almost full now.
It’s because of the vision of Justin Marks.”
Larson ended up fourth and Jones sixth. Kyle Busch was third and Martin Truex Jr fifth. “That top lane was getting some momentum,” said Jones. “I didn’t realise they were coming with that much speed.”