“As I was spinning, I was laughing” - Ross Chastain elaborates on his joyous return to Late Model racing

Trackhouse Racing driver Ross Chastain kicked off his 2024 racing season with a return to Pro Late Models in the Protect Your Melon – Buckle Up SpeedFest at Crisp Motorsports Park in Cordele, Georgia.

Returning behind the wheel of a racecar for Rackley W.A.R.’s Late Model program, Chastain had an eventful start to his 2024 campaign at the Watermelon Capital Speedway on Friday, January 19.

As Ross Chastain got to grips with Pro Late Model machinery in qualifying, he spun his car through a watermelon patch in the backstretch. The #1 Trackhouse Racing driver reflected on the spin as he reckoned it was "classic" of him to get tangled up with watermelons.

"As I was spinning, I was laughing. I know there is no wall. I was just spinning out in the field and I'm like this is just classic. The second run of the day, the nicest Late Model I've ever sat in and here I'm getting it all dirty, tearing up the nose. I was like 'Okay!'," he told Matt Weaver.

Ross Chastain tidied up his efforts as he qualified fifth for the Speedfest 100 scheduled on Saturday, January 20. He is heading into the race with plenty of unknowns and continues to find the limits of Pro Late Model machinery.

"I have no idea, I literally don't know what I'm doing! I'm like driving down the straightway thinking how hard do I push the brake when do I go to throttle. I'm having to just experience it. If I think about it's all wrong, these cars are so different from what I'm used to, big heavy NASCAR stock cars. It turns better, it does everything better than anything I've driven for years. I'm a little behind...definitely not underdriving it," Chastain said.

Chastain's Late Model appearance is sponsored by the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety. The star NASCAR driver is campaigning for driver safety at the event, encouraging them to use seat belts on the highway.

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Ross Chastain reflects on a pivotal early career decision

Before slogging through the ranks of NASCAR, Ross Chastain grew up watching Late Models and began his racing career in the category. He was soon touring the various tracks in his home state Florida, participating and winning multiple races.

The #1 Trackhouse Racing driver admitted he chose NASCAR over Late Models despite seeing early success in the latter category. Speaking to Racing America in a recent interview, he said:

“Early in my career in NASCAR, I had to decide if I wanted to concentrate and put real effort and dollars into NASCAR racing or Late Model racing. I had to ask myself, do I want to be the best NASCAR driver I can be, or do I want to be the best Late Model driver I can be?"

“That’s a tough decision, because I grew up watching Late Models. I grew up wanting to get in one, and did, and was very fortunate to win races at New Smyrna in a Limited.”

Chastain's decision has paid dividends as he is now a four-time winner in NASCAR's top division.