By: Zach Catanzareti, Staff Writer
Each week, Kickin’ The Tires will highlight the 20th-place finisher from the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Standing as the middleman in weekends with 40-car fields, there is sure to be a story behind each one.
Sunday’s South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway placed many playoffs drivers in a tough situation heading into this weekend’s action from Richmond.
However, while most of the playoff field encountered issues, this turn of attrition gave opportunity to Ross Chastain and other underdogs to rise into the top 20.
For Chastain, the entire weekend at Las Vegas put him on top of the world. For the first time, he brought Premium Motorsports to the top 10 in the Camping World Truck Series on Friday, doing so from the seventh spot in the No. 15 Chevrolet.
Then, 24 hours later, Chastain brought himself to a first-career win in the XFINITY Series for Chip Ganassi Racing.
So, how could things get better after those two successful days? A top 20 for one of the smallest teams in the Cup Series.
“To come out with a 20th was a really big deal for us,” Chastain said. “Seventh in the Trucks with Premium, for the Truck and Cup shop, that’s a big deal. To win the XFINITY race, it’s a weekend I’ll never forget honestly. I’ll remember the good parts of Saturday and I’ll also remember how hot I was in the car on Sunday.”
Indeed, heat was a significant factor across the entire weekend in Vegas. With temperatures approaching 100 degrees, the heat got even worse when Chastain’s Ac hose was dislodged mid-race.
“I lost my helmet hose pretty early,” he said. “That was right after the first stage, so the rest of the day I ran with no hose. Breathing in the fumes was the worst part for me. I’ll feel like I have a hangover tomorrow no matter what.
“I’ll buy some new hardware.”
Continuing on with the hose issue, Chastain escaped some chaotic moments stay in the hunt. Following a free pass on lap 234, Chastain’s No. 15 fell on the lead lap once again before another caution on lap 253 put him back in contention.
The No. 15 drove into the top 20 on a restart with two laps to go. Here, a multi-car accident swept up Chastain and five other cars in Turn 4. Though smashing the right-front corner and losing a lap on pit road, he managed a 20th-place day, his second top 20 of 2018.
“We were coming up there in that last big wreck, tried to race with those guys and go torn up,” he said. “We were off on our handling most of the day. We were missing something all weekend. Not the smartest move on my part to be right up in the middle.”
Chastain enters Richmond for his final scheduled race with Chip Ganassi Racing for Friday’s XFINITY race before making his second Cup start on Saturday night.
List of 20th-Place Finishers So Far in 2018
Daytona: Gray Gaulding
Atlanta: Alex Bowman
Las Vegas: Trevor Bayne
ISM: Trevor Bayne (2)
Auto Club: Darrell Wallace Jr.
Martinsville: William Byron
Texas: Gray Gaulding(2)
Bristol: Landon Cassill
Richmond: Ty Dillon
Talladega: DJ Kennington
Dover: Chris Buescher
Kansas: Michael McDowell
Charlotte: Kasey Kahne
Pocono: Clint Bowyer
Michigan: Jimmie Johnson
Sonoma: Kasey Kahne(2)
Chicagoland: William Byron(2)
Daytona: Trevor Bayne(3)
Kentucky: William Byron(3)
New Hampshire: Chris Buescher(2)
Pocono: Jamie McMurray
Watkins Glen: Chris Buescher (3)
Michigan: Chris Buescher (4)
Bristol: Kyle Busch
Darlington: Michael McDowell (2)
Indianapolis: Regan Smith
Las Vegas: Ross Chastain
Mid-Pack With Zach: Ross Chastain, Premium Motorsports
By: Zach Catanzareti, Staff Writer
Each week, Kickin’ The Tires will highlight the 20th-place finisher from the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Standing as the middleman in weekends with 40-car fields, there is sure to be a story behind each one.
Sunday’s South Point 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway placed many playoffs drivers in a tough situation heading into this weekend’s action from Richmond.
However, while most of the playoff field encountered issues, this turn of attrition gave opportunity to Ross Chastain and other underdogs to rise into the top 20.
For Chastain, the entire weekend at Las Vegas put him on top of the world. For the first time, he brought Premium Motorsports to the top 10 in the Camping World Truck Series on Friday, doing so from the seventh spot in the No. 15 Chevrolet.
Then, 24 hours later, Chastain brought himself to a first-career win in the XFINITY Series for Chip Ganassi Racing.
So, how could things get better after those two successful days? A top 20 for one of the smallest teams in the Cup Series.
“To come out with a 20th was a really big deal for us,” Chastain said. “Seventh in the Trucks with Premium, for the Truck and Cup shop, that’s a big deal. To win the XFINITY race, it’s a weekend I’ll never forget honestly. I’ll remember the good parts of Saturday and I’ll also remember how hot I was in the car on Sunday.”
Indeed, heat was a significant factor across the entire weekend in Vegas. With temperatures approaching 100 degrees, the heat got even worse when Chastain’s Ac hose was dislodged mid-race.
“I lost my helmet hose pretty early,” he said. “That was right after the first stage, so the rest of the day I ran with no hose. Breathing in the fumes was the worst part for me. I’ll feel like I have a hangover tomorrow no matter what.
“I’ll buy some new hardware.”
Continuing on with the hose issue, Chastain escaped some chaotic moments stay in the hunt. Following a free pass on lap 234, Chastain’s No. 15 fell on the lead lap once again before another caution on lap 253 put him back in contention.
The No. 15 drove into the top 20 on a restart with two laps to go. Here, a multi-car accident swept up Chastain and five other cars in Turn 4. Though smashing the right-front corner and losing a lap on pit road, he managed a 20th-place day, his second top 20 of 2018.
“We were coming up there in that last big wreck, tried to race with those guys and go torn up,” he said. “We were off on our handling most of the day. We were missing something all weekend. Not the smartest move on my part to be right up in the middle.”
Chastain enters Richmond for his final scheduled race with Chip Ganassi Racing for Friday’s XFINITY race before making his second Cup start on Saturday night.
List of 20th-Place Finishers So Far in 2018
Daytona: Gray Gaulding
Atlanta: Alex Bowman
Las Vegas: Trevor Bayne
ISM: Trevor Bayne (2)
Auto Club: Darrell Wallace Jr.
Martinsville: William Byron
Texas: Gray Gaulding(2)
Bristol: Landon Cassill
Richmond: Ty Dillon
Talladega: DJ Kennington
Dover: Chris Buescher
Kansas: Michael McDowell
Charlotte: Kasey Kahne
Pocono: Clint Bowyer
Michigan: Jimmie Johnson
Sonoma: Kasey Kahne(2)
Chicagoland: William Byron(2)
Daytona: Trevor Bayne(3)
Kentucky: William Byron(3)
New Hampshire: Chris Buescher(2)
Pocono: Jamie McMurray
Watkins Glen: Chris Buescher (3)
Michigan: Chris Buescher (4)
Bristol: Kyle Busch
Darlington: Michael McDowell (2)
Indianapolis: Regan Smith
Las Vegas: Ross Chastain