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Ross Chastain to take helicopter from IMS to IRP for NASCAR Truck practice

Nick Profile Picby:Nick Geddes•07/19/24•

NickGeddesNews

Ross Chastain
Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

Ross Chastain is set to helicopter from Indianapolis Motor Speedway over to Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park for Friday’s CRAFTSMAN Truck Series practice session, per Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports.

Chastain, who is taking part in both the Cup and Truck Series race this weekend, will first participate in Cup practice, which ends at 3:25 p.m. ET. It will then take him approximately four minutes to get to IRP in time for Truck practice, which starts at 3:45 p.m. ET. Ty Dillon, also racing in both events, will leave Cup Series practice 10 minutes early and receive a police escort to IRP.

Friday’s TSport 200 is the final Truck Series race this season that Cup Series drivers can participate in. Cup Series drivers can’t run in the final regular season race or during the playoffs. Chastain has competed in four Truck Series races this season, winning at Darlington back in May.

Ross Chastain sitting on playoff bubble as regular season winds down

As for Chastain’s Cup Series campaign to this point, it’s been a mixed bag. When it comes to race-winning speed, he simply hasn’t it found it yet. And with only five regular season races remaining, it may cost him as he sits just 27 points above the playoff cutline.

Kevin Harvick evaluated Chastain’s season on this week’s “Happy Hour” podcast.

“I think Ross and his team have grinded out decent finishes and put themselves in a decent position points wise,” Harvick said. “They haven’t had the speed that they need to have to win races and that’s what it really comes down to. [Daniel] Suarez got himself in a position to where he won at Atlanta and was able to put himself in a position to be in the playoffs. But they haven’t had the speed either. He’s had some OK finishes on the road courses and Chicago was OK, but these last couple weeks for Ross have been tough.

“Didn’t have a great week at Chicago, this last week just lost the car off Turn 3 and got into the wall and ended their day. When you don’t have the speed, you can’t have those bad finishes to go along with a lack of speed. I just think they’re in that position right now where they don’t have the speed they need to win races.”