Chastain Claims First Victory of 2023 at Nashville

Photo Credit to Logan Riely/Getty Images for NASCAR

NASCAR

Ross Chastain Picks Up First Trackhouse Win in a Year at Nashville

LEBANON, Tenn. – Ross Chastain firmly asserted himself into the championship picture over Nashville weekend. From the pole, the No. 1 Chevrolet led a race-high 99 laps. The race was anything but given to Chastain though, with intense battles all night long from the Toyotas. After snaking his way through lapped traffic late, Chastain took the checkers by nearly a second. Only adding onto this huge win, Nashville is the hometown for Trackhouse team owner Justin Marks. Nashville marks the first win for both Chastain and Trackhouse Racing in more than a full calendar year.

After taking his first career Cup Series pole on Saturday, Chastain appeared tough to beat in Stage 1. The closing laps of this first segment would see Tyler Reddick get the upper hand though on the 1. Reddick’s Nashville highlights ended there though, as the No. 45 lost a tire on pit road midway through Stage 2.

The next restart would see the only on-track trouble of the entire race. After Brad Keselowski did not get up to speed, an accordion effect stack-up sent Ryan Blaney and Kyle Busch spinning into the infield. Blaney’s day was over, with the 12 car pounding a wall not protected by a SAFER Barrier. Blaney called this the biggest hit of his career, needing to catch his breath after this major impact.

A hard hit for Ryan Blaney on the restart.

Take a look at what happened. #NASCAR

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— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) June 26, 2023

The remainder of Stage 2 ran green, with a great duel between teammates Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. The 11 got the edge on the restart and held on for a fourth Stage win of 2023.

Hamlin appeared on rails as Stage 3 wound on, with the 11 failing to relinquish the top spot. Hamlin only lost the lead with 70 to go, when Ross Chastain came storming by the 11.

Thanks to undercutting Hamlin by pitting earlier, Hamlin and Truex built a large buffer late. These two were not separated by much though, with Truex hot on Chastain’s bumper. The 1 finally cycled back to the lead with 33 laps left, but still had to fight and claw through lapped traffic.

Truex came as close as a few car lengths, but could never muscle his way by the 1. By the checkers, Chastain led the 19 by seven tenths. Nashville Superspeedway became the sight of another watermelon smash following career win number three for Ross Chastain.

“This is why every little kid out there anywhere in the world, when you get criticized, and you’re going to if you’re competitive, they will try to tear you down,” Chastain said. “You will start believing you can’t do it. 

“You have to go to your people, trust in the process, read your books, trust the big man’s plan upstairs, just keep getting up and going to work. 

“I got to tell you, a lot of self reflection throughout all this. I had a group that believed in me and they didn’t let me get down. They bring rocket ships and I just try to point them to Victory Lane.”

“Everybody at Trackhouse Justin Marks puts in place, Phil Surgen, on the 1 and 99. To win in Nashville is absolutely incredible. The WISE program, everybody at GM, Chevrolet. 

“I train with so many of my competitors, but it makes us better. Up against the best out there. For Worldwide Express Racing to sweep the weekend, get the pole, we won everything we could have with WWEX Racing. Jockey, Advent Health, the Moose. It’s absolutely incredible the fight that we have.”

Behind Chastain and Truex, the Nashville top-10 were: Denny Hamlin, Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, William Byron, Christopher Bell, Erik Jones, Kyle Busch, and AJ Allmendinger. Thanks to finishing second, Truex extended his points lead. Hear from a few of these drivers below.

https://twitter.com/peterstratta/status/1673159253014589442?s=20  

Chastain becomes the 11th different winner in 2023, locking up a second-straight Playoff berth. Only five spots remain over the final nine week run to the 2023 NASCAR postseason.

Next week is perhaps the biggest unknown left in the regular season–the inaugural Chicago Street Race. The Grant Park 220 will go green Sunday at 5:30 p.m. ET on NBC, MRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Downtown Chicago is a prime opportunity for an upset winner to shake up the Playoff picture. Can a new driver find their way to victory lane in the first-ever NASCAR street race?

Written by Peter Stratta

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Photo Credit to Logan Riely/Getty Images for NASCAR