By: Zach Catanzareti, Staff Writer
For the first time, Ross Chastain did not lead a lap behind the wheel of a Chip Ganassi Racing car. However, that didn’t mean the win wasn’t in reach.
Qualifying third for Friday night’s Go Bowling 250 from Richmond Raceway, Chastain was thrown to the rear of the field due to unapproved adjustments, making a run through the field necessary in 250 laps.
Cutting through the field in Stage 1, Chastain ended the 75-lap stage in 10th. Jumping to fourth in Stage 2, Chastain was the beneficiary of late-race cautions, which gave him a few more cracks at race leader Christopher Bell.
“I was pushing really hard there at the end to get back to Christopher,” Chastain said. “My hands were gripped on the wheel so tight to catch Christopher. I was really loose that last run trying everything I could. The spotter said to dig deep. I’m like, ‘My God, I got nothing. This is everything.’
“I just let him gap out too much.”
While he eventually lost out to Bell’s speed to finish second, he got to battle Dale Earnhardt Jr. for position late. The No. 88 driver ran his first race of 2018 since retiring at the conclusion of 2017 and led 96 laps on the night.
“He’s up there leading race, I’m like, ‘He’s going to show up one time after he’s retired and spank our butts,'” he said. “That final restart, I was able to go by him, we almost got together off Turn 4. At that point, it’s a yellow car. It’s not Dale, not anybody. Just pass them.”
Though competitors on the track, Chastain shook Earnhardt’s hand following the hard-fought battle.
“We got out of the cars and shook hands because we didn’t crash,” he said. “It was definitely cool. I guess I can always say I beat Dale Jr. in his last race unless he comes back again.”
That attitude has always stayed present in Chastain’s on-track grit. From his run-in with Kevin Harvick at Darlington to his Las Vegas victory and a second place in Richmond to cap off his three-race deal with CGR, the Floridian is simply honored to have had the time with a top team.
“It’s cool to go through those moments for me and think back on this whole two months now,” he said. “I’ll think back for the rest of my life. No matter what comes out of it, it’ really been an awesome ride.”