Ross Chastain smashes a watermelon, delivers epic victory speech after Ally 400 win
With the season Ross Chastain has had, this Ally 400 win couldn’t have come at a better time or in a better place. Trackhouse Racing started in Nashville. Chastain won his first pole award of his career this weekend. Now, the NASCAR driver walks away with the win and the outlook on his season is completely different.
As usual, Ross Chastain had a watermelon waiting for him as he climbed from his car. He exits through the hatch on top and then brings the melon smashing to the ground. Of course, he has to pick some up and take a bite after he’s done with it.
After the melon smash, Chastain gave an empowered victory speech.
“This is incredible,” Chastain said. “This is why any 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 them. 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, and just keep getting up and going to work.
“I gotta tell you, a lot of self-reflection through all of this, but I had a group that believed in me and they didn’t let me get down, and they bring rocket ships and I just try to point them to Victory Lane.”
What a win. Ross Chastain led 99 laps and looks to be back to his winning ways.
Ross Chastain back in the NASCAR playoffs
The biggest consequence of this win is the fact that Ross Chastain is headed back to the NASCAR playoffs. Things will just get more intense and interesting as he races in the regular season tick away. Nine more chances for drivers to pick up wins and make their way to the postseason.
Right now, there should be a little bit of worry for guys like Chase Elliott or a driver like Austin Dillon. Both were playoff drivers a year ago and now their chances are vanishing as far as wins are concerned. Dillon is probably looking forward to Daytona, where he won last season. Elliott has other plans.
The 2020 champion needs to have a race like Chastain just had. If he isn’t able to turn things around and make this top-5 performance into a winning performance, then this season will be a throwaway.
As Ross Chastain becomes the 11th winner in the Cup Series this season, the playoff picture gets clearer. Who are going to be the surprise additions to the postseason before the regular season comes to an end?