{"id":1541336,"date":"2022-12-07T15:59:00","date_gmt":"2022-12-07T20:59:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/?p=1541336"},"modified":"2022-12-07T15:59:12","modified_gmt":"2022-12-07T20:59:12","slug":"is-ross-chastain-one-season-wonder-or-championship-contender","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/news\/is-ross-chastain-one-season-wonder-or-championship-contender\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Ross Chastain a One-Season Wonder or a Championship Contender for the Foreseeable Future?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>In terms of individual driver performance, no one provided a more pleasant surprise in the <a href=\"https:\/\/sports7.us\/5-lasting-takeaways-from-unforgettable-2022-nascar-cup-series-season\/\">2022 NASCAR Cup Series season<\/a> than Ross Chastain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>An eighth-generation watermelon farmer whose only previous full season <a href=\"https:\/\/sports7.us\/tag\/motorsports\/\">at the Cup level<\/a> was 2021, Chastain defied all odds by becoming a weekly contender for the win despite being in his first year with <a href=\"https:\/\/sports7.us\/2022-cup-series-season-in-review-trackhouse-racing\/\">a Trackhouse Racing organization<\/a> in its second year of existence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While Chastain faced some challenges along the way, at several points even <a href=\"https:\/\/sports7.us\/ross-chastain-learn-from-crucial-change-ernie-irvan-made-cup-series\/\">becoming the object of intense scrutiny<\/a> for his perceived overly aggressive style of driving, the recently turned 30-year-old from Alva, Florida, managed to soldier on and eventually come just one position shy of a championship that no one expected him to sniff when the season started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now with easily the best season of his driving career \u2014 at any level \u2014 under his belt, what\u2019s in store for Chastain in 2023? And, more specifically, is he a one-season wonder or a soon-to-be perennial contender?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Happy 30th birthday to the Melon Man, <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RossChastain?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@RossChastain<\/a> \ud83c\udf49 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/lCZys6c3ok\">pic.twitter.com\/lCZys6c3ok<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Trackhouse Racing (@TeamTrackhouse) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TeamTrackhouse\/status\/1599457708976939009?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 4, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-ross-chastain-s-2022-results-reveal-a-well-rounded-game\">Ross Chastain\u2019s 2022 results reveal a well-rounded game<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re looking to identify whether a season widely deemed as \u201csuccessful\u201d is a fluke or a predictor of long-term greatness, look no further than how consistently the driver performed over the course of 36 races.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike Aric Almirola \u2014 who struggled badly throughout most of 2021 but made the playoffs because of one seemingly out-of-nowhere midseason win at New Hampshire \u2014 Ross Chastain ran at or near the front almost the entire 2022 campaign. In fact, Chastain\u2019s 21 top-10 finishes and 15 top-fives were both Cup Series highs \u2014 even eclipsing the marks set by champion Joey Logano and regular season champion Chase Elliott.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">2 watermelon smashes, league leader in top 10 and top 5 finishes.<br><br>What a year it was for the Melon Man \ud83c\udf49 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/90Ki00pQa8\">pic.twitter.com\/90Ki00pQa8<\/a><\/p>&mdash; Trackhouse Racing (@TeamTrackhouse) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TeamTrackhouse\/status\/1593651778851115009?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">November 18, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>And unlike some drivers who struggled at some types of tracks but excelled at others, Chastain exhibited no glaring weakness. Need proof? Consider for just a moment that Chastain\u2019s two wins came at the <a href=\"https:\/\/sports7.us\/ross-chastain-admits-talk-aj-allmendinger-cota-one-sided-conversation\/\">Circuit of The Americas road course<\/a> and 2.66-mile, high-banked Talladega Superspeedway \u2014 two tracks that couldn\u2019t be at more opposite ends of the speed and handling spectrum. It would be one thing if Chastain\u2019s victories and other top performances had all come at short tracks or intermediates or road courses or superspeedways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"WILD FINISH: Ross Chastain avoids carnage to win at Talladega | NASCAR ON FOX HIGHLIGHTS\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/r-nq0EIOW7Y?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><br>But they didn\u2019t. They came at tracks of all varieties. In other words, Chastain\u2019s team didn\u2019t find some magical setup that helped him run great at certain types of tracks while he stunk up the show at others. It\u2019s therefore reasonable to surmise that Chastain\u2019s achievements from 2022 were no anomaly. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The bottom line? Chastain and his team brought their \u201cA\u201d game pretty much everywhere all the time, and there\u2019s no reason they can\u2019t do the same in 2023 \u2014 especially considering it will be Year Two with the Next Generation Cup Series car they enjoyed so much success with this past season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Final Laps: Chastain sends Allmendinger into Bowman to win at COTA\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/FckgYq82v98?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ross Chastain\u2019s go-for-broke attitude isn\u2019t going away anytime soon<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Ross Chastain pushed the envelope so far that it was to <a href=\"https:\/\/sports7.us\/ross-chastain-is-unfairly-getting-bad-wrap-as-dirty-driver-others-are-just-as-guilty\/\">his own detriment on some occasions<\/a> in 2022, angering the likes of veterans Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., and Chase Elliott when his aggression sent their cars into the spin cycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>More times than not, however, Chastain\u2019s no-holds-barred approach played a role in allowing him to race near the front of the field and battle for wins. And, of course, on one memorable Sunday afternoon \u2014 the afternoon of the Round of 8 elimination race at Martinsville Speedway \u2014 <a href=\"https:\/\/sports7.us\/its-not-fair-to-condemn-ty-gibbs-controversial-last-lap-martinsville-move-condone-ross-chastain\/\">Chastain\u2019s go-for-broke attitude<\/a> resulted in him earning a berth in the Championship 4 when he never lifted off of the throttle in turns 3 and 4 on the final lap, passing five cars in the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">When the video-game move actually works \ud83d\ude33 <br><br>Ross Chastain punches it through the final turn at Martinsville to claim a spot in the 2022 Championship 4. <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/qXuDdVkui0\">pic.twitter.com\/qXuDdVkui0<\/a><\/p>&mdash; FOX Sports (@FOXSports) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/FOXSports\/status\/1586843550301315072?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 30, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Had Chastain not taken such a drastic and, yes, risky measure, he would\u2019ve missed out on the opportunity to race for a championship the next weekend at Phoenix \u2014 and his in-car audio later revealed that he was well aware of this reality as he motored down the backstretch for the last time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Chastain\u2019s move coming to the checkered flag left almost everyone, <a href=\"https:\/\/sports7.us\/rick-hendrick-loved-ross-chastain-bold-move-at-martinsville-briefly\/\">including some of his fiercest rivals<\/a>, in awe and wishing they had been as creative in their efforts to qualify for the championship race.<br><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Ross Chastain: Martinsville wall ride move &#039;will outlive me&#039; | Motorsports on NBC\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/5_Uyept0iUs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>While it\u2019s possible that Chastain will never repeat his video game-style move in the future, executing it just one time proved once and for all that he\u2019ll stop at absolutely nothing to get the outcome he wants. And you can rest assured that Chastain\u2019s lay-it-all-on-the-line approach won\u2019t change once the calendar flips to a new year. He\u2019s going to carry it with him for the rest of his career, which will go a long way toward helping him ensure he doesn\u2019t rest on his laurels from 2022.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>With Justin Marks guiding the ship, Trackhouse Racing has all the tools Ross Chastain needs<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Finally, there\u2019s yet another reason Ross Chastain\u2019s amazing 2022 won\u2019t be a blip on the proverbial radar or the equivalent of a lightning strike. The reason is simple: He\u2019s competing for an organization that\u2019s no joke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Oh sure, Trackhouse Racing still doesn\u2019t have the name-brand recognition of Hendrick Motorsports or Team Penske or Joe Gibbs Racing, but that\u2019s irrelevant as it relates to Chastain\u2019s long-term outlook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fact is, with its acquisition of all the assets it purchased from Chip Ganassi Racing when CGR folded at the end of 2021, Trackhouse Racing is capable of providing Chastain and teammate Daniel Suarez with top-notch equipment for the foreseeable future. And <a href=\"https:\/\/sports7.us\/justin-marks-admired-went-back-on-word-fans-happy\/\">team co-owner Justin Marks<\/a>, himself a racer from years gone by, is clearly 100 percent dedicated to the cause of making Trackhouse the kind of team that doesn\u2019t taste a little success and then fade into the background.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">An owner changing the game in so many ways! <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JustinMarksTH?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@JustinMarksTH<\/a> of <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TeamTrackhouse?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@TeamTrackhouse<\/a> is the 2022 NMPA Myers Brothers Award recipient. <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/NASCARAwards?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#NASCARAwards<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/af5b3cmVsc\">pic.twitter.com\/af5b3cmVsc<\/a><\/p>&mdash; NASCAR (@NASCAR) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NASCAR\/status\/1598474194496413696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 2, 2022<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Operating out of the old Ganassi shop with mostly former Ganassi employees, Trackhouse isn\u2019t as new to the game as one who\u2019s unaware of the organization\u2019s history might assume. No, after winning a total of three races in 2022 between Chastain and Suarez and placing both drivers in the playoffs, Trackhouse is as well-positioned for 2023 and future seasons as any team in the Cup Series garage. And for this reason and several others, so is Chastain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Justin Marks: I put my legitimacy at risk\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/sZWVXKZ9zo8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Like it or not, Ross Chastain isn't going anywhere. But what does the future hold for NASCAR's resident watermelon farmer?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":259,"featured_media":1541342,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[253795],"tags":[118377],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v22.3 (Yoast SEO v22.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Ross Chastain Is a Legit NASCAR Contender, Even If You Don&#039;t Like It - Sports7<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Ross Chastain might not be everyone&#039;s cup of tea, but he&#039;s coming off a solid NASCAR season. 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The best, however, could be yet to come.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/sports7.us\/news\/is-ross-chastain-one-season-wonder-or-championship-contender\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Sports7\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2022-12-07T20:59:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2022-12-07T20:59:12+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/sports7.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Ross-Chastain.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1250\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"834\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Jared Turner\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@jared_turner\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Jared Turner\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"5 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sports7.us\/news\/is-ross-chastain-one-season-wonder-or-championship-contender\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sports7.us\/news\/is-ross-chastain-one-season-wonder-or-championship-contender\/\",\"name\":\"Ross Chastain Is a Legit NASCAR Contender, Even If You Don't Like It - Sports7\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sports7.us\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sports7.us\/news\/is-ross-chastain-one-season-wonder-or-championship-contender\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sports7.us\/news\/is-ross-chastain-one-season-wonder-or-championship-contender\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/sports7.us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Ross-Chastain.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2022-12-07T20:59:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2022-12-07T20:59:12+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sports7.us\/#\/schema\/person\/23db61794cbcc036a237162f9cabb0bd\"},\"description\":\"Ross Chastain might not be everyone's cup of tea, but he's coming off a solid NASCAR season. 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