Ross Chastain
Known for his watermelon celebration and the infamous 2022 Martinsville wall ride, Chastain drives the No. 1 Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing with three Cup wins. The eighth-generation watermelon farmer from Florida became a fan favorite with his aggressive driving style.
About Ross Chastain
Ross Chastain became a household name with one wall ride at Martinsville in 2022, but the Alva, Florida watermelon farmer turned Cup Series winner had been building toward that moment his entire life. With six wins across 200 Cup starts, Chastain's journey from underfunded rides and near-career-ending setbacks to Trackhouse Racing's flagship driver is one of NASCAR's most compelling underdog stories. Chastain spent years racing for teams that could barely afford to unload the hauler, learning racecraft through sheer necessity and developing a toughness that serves him well in the rough-and-tumble world of Cup competition. When the opportunity at Trackhouse arrived, he seized it with both hands and never let go. His driving style is fearless bordering on reckless, and that aggression has made him one of the most polarizing figures in the garage. Competitors either respect his never-back-down mentality or find themselves frustrated by his willingness to make contact. Either way, nobody ignores Ross Chastain. Beyond Cup, Chastain's experience in Xfinity and Trucks across 200 combined starts added layers to his racecraft that serve him in traffic and on restarts. The kid who smashed watermelons in celebration has become a legitimate contender, and his story is far from over.
Written by Richard R. Glover, NASCAR Reference
Driver Profile 
Career Highlights
- 6 career Cup wins
Prime years: 2022-2024 (avg score: 52/100)
8 Cup Series seasons analyzed
Performance Profile
2026 Season
Best Tracks
Ross Chastain's best track is Kansas Speedway with 2 wins and a 13.9 average finish in 27 races.
| Track | Races | Avg Finish |
|---|---|---|
| Kansas Speedway | 27 | 13.9 |
| Charlotte Motor Speedway | 24 | 15.8 |
| Circuit of the Americas | 7 | 10.3 |
| Nashville Superspeedway | 8 | 13.3 |
| Las Vegas Motor Speedway | 28 | 14.2 |
Recent Results
Ross Chastain's most recent 20 race results across multiple series.
| Date | Series | Race | Start | Finish | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 10 | Cup | Go Bowling at The Glen | 4 | 27 | -23 |
| May 9 | O'Reilly | Mission 200 at The Glen | 29 | 4 | +25 |
| May 8 | Trucks | NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Race at Watkins Glen | 33 | 28 | +5 |
| May 3 | Cup | Würth 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY | 16 | 26 | -10 |
| May 1 | Trucks | SpeedyCash.com 250 | 23 | 12 | +11 |
| Apr 26 | Cup | Jack Link's 500 | 24 | 7 | +17 |
| Apr 19 | Cup | AdventHealth 400 | 31 | 26 | +5 |
| Apr 12 | Cup | Food City 500 | 6 | 20 | -14 |
| Apr 10 | Trucks | Tennessee Army National Guard 250 | 11 | 4 | +7 |
| Mar 29 | Cup | Cook Out 400 | 18 | 16 | +2 |
| Mar 28 | O'Reilly | NFPA 250 | 38 | 8 | +30 |
| Mar 22 | Cup | Goodyear 400 | 25 | 16 | +9 |
| Mar 21 | O'Reilly | Sport Clips Haircuts VFW Help a Hero 200 | 9 | 14 | -5 |
| Mar 20 | Trucks | Buckle Up South Carolina 200 | 9 | 2 | +7 |
| Mar 15 | Cup | Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube | 17 | 17 | — |
| Mar 8 | Cup | Straight Talk Wireless 500 | 6 | 28 | -22 |
| Mar 1 | Cup | DuraMax Grand Prix | 2 | 35 | -33 |
| Feb 28 | O'Reilly | Focused Health 250 | 21 | 9 | +12 |
| Feb 22 | Cup | Autotrader 400 | 21 | 3 | +18 |
| Feb 21 | O'Reilly | Bennett Transportation & Logistics 250 | 30 | 6 | +24 |
Year-by-Year Results
Ross Chastain has competed in 30 combined seasons, with a career average finish of 16.5.
| Season | Series | Races | Wins | Avg Start | Avg Finish |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Cup | 13 | 0 | 17.31 | 20.15 |
| 2026 | O'Reilly | 5 | 0 | 25.40 | 8.20 |
| 2026 | Trucks | 4 | 0 | 19.00 | 11.50 |
| 2025 | Cup | 35 | 1 | 19.20 | 15.11 |
| 2025 | O'Reilly | 5 | 0 | 10.80 | 11.60 |
| 2025 | Trucks | 5 | 0 | 11.20 | 14.60 |
| 2024 | Cup | 32 | 1 | 15.97 | 13.09 |
| 2024 | O'Reilly | 4 | 0 | 23.25 | 13.50 |
| 2024 | Trucks | 5 | 1 | 11.40 | 7.40 |
| 2023 | Cup | 28 | 2 | 13.68 | 11.36 |
| 2023 | O'Reilly | 7 | 0 | 18.57 | 18.71 |
| 2023 | Trucks | 7 | 0 | 16.71 | 14.00 |
| 2022 | Cup | 30 | 2 | 14.87 | 9.80 |
| 2022 | O'Reilly | 5 | 0 | 12.20 | 13.80 |
| 2022 | Trucks | 5 | 1 | 13.40 | 13.20 |
| 2021 | Cup | 23 | 0 | 19.65 | 12.65 |
| 2021 | O'Reilly | 1 | 0 | 2.00 | 30.00 |
| 2021 | Trucks | 4 | 0 | 30.25 | 16.75 |
| 2020 | Cup | 3 | 0 | — | 16.67 |
| 2020 | O'Reilly | 33 | 0 | 7.70 | 8.24 |
| 2020 | Trucks | 9 | 0 | 19.11 | 11.11 |
| 2019 | Cup | 7 | 0 | 24.57 | 22.86 |
| 2019 | O'Reilly | 19 | 1 | 13.00 | 14.58 |
| 2019 | Trucks | 23 | 3 | 10.70 | 8.61 |
| 2018 | Cup | 21 | 0 | 4.33 | 28.19 |
| 2018 | O'Reilly | 33 | 1 | 16.97 | 15.27 |
| 2018 | Trucks | 7 | 0 | 17.71 | 20.86 |
| 2017 | Cup | 2 | 0 | — | 29.00 |
| 2017 | O'Reilly | 33 | 0 | 21.73 | 19.52 |
| 2017 | Trucks | 7 | 0 | 16.71 | 16.00 |
Season Performance Stats
NASCAR loop data -- avg running position, pass differential, driver rating, and more (2007-2022 Cup Series).
| Year | Rating | Avg Start | Avg Finish | Avg Run Pos | Pass Diff | Fast Laps | Laps Led % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 92.80 | 14.60 | 14.20 | 12.40 | +94 | 388 | 7.90% |
| 2021 | 74.00 | 19.80 | 18.60 | 17.80 | +27 | 121 | 0.70% |
| 2020 | 59.70 | 26.10 | 22.00 | 21.80 | +23 | 13 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 38.80 | 33.60 | 28.20 | 31.30 | +124 | 80 | 0.10% |
| 2018 | 39.80 | 31.80 | 28.40 | 30.40 | +172 | 22 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 40.60 | 34.00 | 29.00 | 31.70 | -12 | 5 | 0.00% |
NR-Rating Elo Ratings
Related Drivers
| Name | Relation |
|---|---|
| Connor Zilisch | Teammate |
| Shane van Gisbergen | Teammate |
| Anthony Alfredo | Same Mfr |
| Justin Allgaier | Same Mfr |
| A.J. Allmendinger | Same Mfr |
| Tyler Ankrum | Same Mfr |
| Josh Bilicki | Same Mfr |
| Alex Bowman | Same Mfr |
| Spencer Boyd | Same Mfr |
| Jeb Burton | Same Mfr |
| Kyle Busch | Same Mfr |
| William Byron | Same Mfr |