On Memorial Day Weekend, Ross Chastain achieved a historic NASCAR breakthrough by winning the Coca-Cola 600, the longest race in the series. Starting last in 40th position and driving a backup car, Chastain navigated 591 miles to claim the lead and ultimately the victory in this demanding 600-mile event, marking the most prestigious of his six NASCAR Cup Series wins since 2022.
Reflecting on his race strategy during a post-race media session, Chastain emphasized the importance of patience throughout the grueling event.
“There were times where I almost got in the wall, but I lifted. There were times where I almost got to someone’s outside or almost cleared them off the corner and lifted. In a 600-mile race, that allows you to do that. These races are a lot shorter this weekend, though,”
he said.
Wearing the Symbol of Victory Long After the Checkered Flag
After his win, Chastain celebrated alongside his team and kept the victory ring from the Coca-Cola 600 on his finger for days. He only removed it as he prepared to compete in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving the No. 9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet on the following Saturday.
Speaking about the ring, he said,
“It says ‘Champion’ and it says ‘Coca-Cola 600 2025’. It had the SMI logo right front and center. That car and that red and blue logo for SMI is so iconic, something that I remember as a kid seeing and I didn’t know what it was. And now to have it front and center on the ring of what SMI and the Smith family have built the Coca-Cola 600 into is incredible.”
Chastain explained how the ring provided motivation on a challenging week:
“So yeah, definitely going to take it off now for practice. But it has been motivation this week because this week was a grind. And sometimes I just had to touch the ring and be like — okay, smile, go to the next thing, make the next flight, get home, like all the stuff … the ring is a very special part of it, as well as the trophy, which I can’t even pick the dang thing up … it’s too heavy.”
Overcoming Challenges with Backup Car Preparation and Qualifying
Chastain and the Trackhouse Racing team faced difficulties earlier in the weekend during Saturday’s practice and qualifying sessions. Despite being the fastest over a long run in practice for the Coca-Cola 600, a tire cut caused Chastain’s primary car to crash into the wall, forcing the team to switch to a backup car. This incident led to Chastain missing the qualifying round and starting from last place.
Discussing the team’s progress, Chastain noted,
“We were right there with the No. 24 [William Byron] for the fast lap in our (practice) group.”
He highlighted the simple nature of success in NASCAR, saying,
“It just comes down to lap time. The sport rewards speed and how fast can you start and finish the lap from the starting point and getting it done. It’s a real simple reward system. You go fast, you get a lot of cool things. And the lap time came with the balance of the car last week. So for that practice at Charlotte in the Cup car, the balance stayed good.”
Chastain credited his team‘s decision to replicate the primary car’s successful setup in the backup car:
“I asked my team to just build the (backup) car the same because I didn’t need any changes. Usually you want to migrate the balance a little. You want to tighten up just a little bit on corner entry, a little bit on exit. But I was just like just build it the same, and we will be really good. And we’ll adjust in the race, but I didn’t have any — that’s probably the first time, definitely in my Cup career, that I’ve ever gotten out of a practice session and didn’t ask for anything. And that’s why I was so full of a smile all Saturday as they were building the next car. I knew if they could replicate that, we’d have a real shot. So the lap time comes with the balance.”
Looking Ahead: Chastain Aims for Consecutive Wins at Nashville
Following his historic victory, Ross Chastain is preparing to defend his title at Nashville, where he secured a win during the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season. Demonstrating consistency, Chastain qualified fifth for the upcoming Cup race, suggesting he continues to possess the speed and confidence needed for another strong performance.
Visual Highlights from Nashville Practice and Qualifying Sessions
Photos capturing the vibrant atmosphere and competitive spirit of the NASCAR Nashville practice and qualifying rounds showcase the intensity of the event, as drivers and teams fine-tune their vehicles and strategies ahead of race day.
