Watch: Justin Allgaier and Ross Chastain elevate the NHL spirit with adrenaline-filled ’helping hand’

NASCAR drivers Ross Chastain and Justin Allgaier teamed up with “Thunderbug,” the mascot of the Tampa Bay Lightning NHL team, to uplift their spirits during their game against the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday, January 8. JR Motorsports, an Xfinity Series team that Allgaier drives for, dropped a short video on X showing Chastain and Allgaier enjoying with the mascot.

In the video, the NASCAR duo, along with Thunderbug, were seen drumming hard to boost their favorite team's morale and show their support for the Tampa Bay players.

JR Motorsports captioned the clip:

“Starting off a fun night in Tampa with the @TBLightning !@RossChastain and @J_Allgaier gave ThunderBug a helping hand.”

All that hype paid off as the Lightning emerged victorious in the end. Indeed, a great day for the fans, given that it was the first win for the three-time Stanley Cup champions since their triumph against the New York Rangers in December 2024.

Chastain and Allgaier drive full-time in the Cup and Xfinity Series, respectively. Chastain, driver of the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevy Camaro, is off to a fresh start with the NASCAR Cup Series season kicking off at Winston-Salem’s Bowman Gray Stadium on February 2.

Allgaier, on the other hand, will defend last year’s title, which he won in his seventh Championship 4 appearance. A native of Springfield, Illinois, and driver of the No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevrolet is ahead of his 15th full season in the Xfinity Series. Allgaier's first race of the year is scheduled for February 15.

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“Thanks for the helmets, boys!” - Ross Chastain and Justin Allgaier’s pre-game meet-up with Canadian NHL duo

Ross Chastain and Justin Allgaier met with Tampa Bay Lightning center Nick Paul and forward Brandon Hagel moments before Wednesday’s game. The NASCAR stars gifted the NHL stars helmets identical to the ones they are expected to wear for the season-opening races at Daytona International Speedway.

Tampa Bay Lightning on X posted a few photos from the meet and greet session. They captioned the post:

“A quick pregame meetup with @NASCAR drivers Justin Allgaier and Ross Chastain. Thanks for the helmets, boys!”

Daytona International Speedway, a 2.5-mile tri-oval racetrack in Daytona Beach, Florida, is home to NASCAR’s annual crown jewel event, the historic Daytona 500 which started back in 1959. 2025 will mark the 67th iteration of the 500-mile race. Fans can watch the iconic race on FOX or listen to radio updates on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

On the other hand, the Xfinity Series will start with the United Rentals 300 at Daytona. The 120-lap race will stream live on CW with radio updates on MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio. Fans can purchase their tickets to these two events from the official Daytona International Speedway website today.