The first half of Ross Chastain’s NASCAR Cup Series season was covered in controversy and questions of his ability to finish races. He answered every question on Sunday night after winning the Ally 400 at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway.
Wheeling the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, Chastain outlasted late threats from Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr. to earn his first victory of the season, and the third in his Cup Series career.
“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. You will start believing you can’t do it,” Chastain said.
“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,” Chastain continued. “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.”
Chastain led the most laps, leading 99 of the 300-lap race.
Truex looked to have a car strong enough to battle Chastain, though after electing to pit a lap earlier than the No. 1 team during the final round of pit stops, Truex eventually lost grip in the rear tires.
The 2017 Cup Series champion would settle for runner-up.
“Just needed to get the lead. Once we lost it, I probably made a bad move taking the bottom on a restart,” Truex admitted. “Just too loose in the long runs. I could hang with whoever was leading. Just could never get off the corner good enough to get a move. Just lacking side bite. Overall just burning the rear tires off too much.
“Just really loose at the end of the race there as well. Just needed a little bit. Got lots of speed. Just could never get the balance where it needed to be,” Truex continued.
“Without having clean air, it was difficult, so… Overall good night for our Bass Pro Tracker Toyota Camaro. Guys are doing a great job. Just that close again.
“If we can keep doing this, we will be in good shape.”
Truex’s JGR teammate Denny Hamlin led 81 laps in Nashville before ultimately finishing third. Hendrick Motorsport’s Chase Elliott earned his second consecutive top-five finish after ending the evening in fourth.
Two of Elliott’s teammates, Kyle Larson and William Byron, followed suit in fifth and sixth.
Legacy Motor Club’s Erik Jones gave the organization a much-needed eighth place finish. It was Jones’ first top 10 since Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway in April (Sixth).
What Else Went Down
Stage One went caution-free, with Chastain leading the opening laps from the pole position. On lap 61, second-starting Tyler Reddick took over the lead from Chastain.
Richard Childress Racing’s Kyle Busch encountered multiple issues throughout the 400-mile race, including a flag tire in the early going. Busch would go down a lap after pitting.
Reddick went on to score the Stage One win.
Stage Two began to see the action ramp up, with a caution flag on lap 138 after Reddick had a tire come off entering pit road. Reddick would go down two laps after heading to the tail end of the line, ultimately finishing 30th.
A restart on lap 147 saw Truex take hold of the point. Though the caution flag quickly waved after Brad Keselowski had a slow start, stacking up the field. Behind Keselowski, Busch and Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney collided, sending the No. 12 Ford hard into the inside wall.
A hard hit for Ryan Blaney on the restart.
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Take a look at what happened. #NASCAR
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Blaney was checked and released from the infield care center, though was critical of the lack of a safer barrier on the inside of the track.
“It’s a shame, ending our night early. I thought we actually, finally got decent air at the start of the second stage,” Blaney said. “I don’t really know what happened. Someone checked up on the restart I guess. I kind of checked up, got hit from behind.
“I didn’t know if they were wrecking, and I just couldn’t get it straightened out. When I got out of the grass, I thought I was going to come back around, and that I’d be OK,” Blaney continued.
“Just never got back right. I don’t know why there’s no safer barrier there. That’s pretty ridiculous, honestly. Hardest hit I’ve ever had in my life. Happy to be all right, but it sucks for the Pennzoil Ford Mustang. Stinks to go home early.”
A spirited battle between Truex and Hamlin led to Hamlin taking command, scoring the Stage Two victory.
Pit stops would ensue following the end of the Stage, with Hamlin starting out front to begin Stage Three.
Chastain would retake the lead from Hamlin with 70 laps to go.
Right before the final wave of green flag pit stops, Stewart-Haas Racing’s Kevin Harvick had a right rear tire go down on lap 239 while running fourth, derailing a potential stout finish.
The final stretch of the race went caution-free in the final 108 laps with Chastain holding command the rest of the way.