Ross Chastain has won two of the last five races, including a last lap pass to win Sunday at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, posted five top-three finishes in 10 races in 2022 and is part of Trackhouse Racing – the season’s most surprising NASCAR Cup Series team led by owner and former driver Justin Marks.
His team’s business partner Pitbull aka “Mr. Worldwide” has noticed the success and is giving Trackhouse Racing a shout out in his new single “Can’t Stop Us Now” with country rock superstar Zac Brown out on all platforms Friday
In addition to Pitbull’s 89 million social media followers, the song will be heard billions of times by his music fans in Asia, the Middle East, Australia, Latin America and the United States.
NASCAR fans attending or watching Sunday’s Cup Series race at Dover (Del.) Motor Speedway will see Chastain’s No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro carrying the “Can’t Stop Us Now” logos promoting both the song and Pitbull’s 50-event “Can’t Stop Us Now” North America concert tour that begins in July.
For Chastain, the 29-year-old Alva, Florida native who is an eighth generation watermelon farmer, it’s been one of those overnight success stories that took a lifetime to achieve.
After his traditional smashing of a watermelon after the victory Sunday, he’s spent the week doing media including national television and radio appearances. Now he’s helping one of the most popular entertainers on the planet promote his song and concert tour.
”How cool is all of this right now,” asked Chastain who said he texted with Pitbull on Monday because he was unable to come to the phone when Pitbull called victory lane in Talladega on Sunday.
“Justin got to talk with him, but I was too busy jumping around hugging everyone and doing the victory lane stuff. I really want him here in victory lane with us someday soon.”
Chastain’s remarkable success in 2022 has him second in points if the playoffs were to start today. He’d like to climb one spot higher in the standings by winning Sunday in Dover.
If he does, this time he vows to take Pitbull’s phone call.
“What a blessing to be part of the Trackhouse family! I’m very proud of Daniel and Ross racing this season. It’s a true honor to have the No. 1 car support our new song and tour “Can’t Stop Us Now” this weekend in Dover. 99 + 1 equals Trackhouse 100, Dale!”
— Pitbull
Ross Chastain, Driver of the No. 1 CAN’T STOP US NOW Chevrolet
How cool is it to have Pitbull on your car Sunday in Dover?
“Who would have ever thought I would be teaming up with Pitbull? That is so cool and shows how interesting life really is. He is such a motivator, we want to really do well for him Sunday. I hope we play “Can’t Stop Us Now” in victory lane at Dover.”
Your first Cup victories have come at two distinct tracks. Is that mind-blowing for you?
“Absolutely mind-blowing, it is. I grew up short-track racing, so I just assumed and thought that was where I was the best. Turning right was hard, drafting was hard. I just thought I would never be able to catch up to guys that had been doing it so much longer than me. A lot of time and work and really good people surrounding me, we’ve closed the gap. There’s still a long ways to go. But, yeah, it’s absolutely mind-blowing.”
You drove the same car to victories on a road course and superspeedway. Is that proof the Next Gen car is a success?
“It makes it so special that Jim France and the NASCAR family, the France family, their vision for this car, that you can win a race on a road course. Is it a month? Has it been a month or two months since COTA? In a month, you can bring a car back you won in at a road course and win at Talladega. That hasn’t happened since the ’60s. I don’t know, farther back. I have no idea. They would have different cars. It’s wild. That’s more what it means to me, that this car is capable of that. Change the geometry, the suspension, shim the body a little bit, go race. Put different tune in the motor for a superspeedway, adjust your rear diffuser, adjust everything, and the same car can come race. That’s just wild. I’m not sitting here going to say it’s any cheaper yet. I don’t think it’s cheaper for us than just building a new car like in the past. I don’t know. I don’t know the business behind what we’re doing. I just drive the cars. It is special, though.”
Does it just seem surreal at times?
“It does not seem real at all. I keep waiting to wake up from this dream and realize it’s all not what I think I’m living. But I’ve got great groups of people from Trackhouse, the competition and business side, my family, people in Charlotte and around Mooresville that keep reminding me and keep showing me this is real. I talked about it earlier, sitting right here at this spot, I’m right where I want to be, and I have the people around me. They keep me remembering and keep reminding me and keep pushing me to make this the best we can make it. We’re not resting on any of this stuff. Like Justin said, I might not be quite as sharp in the morning to get to work on Dover, but I’ll get to work on it at some point tomorrow.”
No. 1 Trackhouse Team Roster
Founder: Justin Marks, Rocklin, California
Team Partner: Armando Christian Perez, Miami, Florida.
President: Ty Norris, Sumter, South Carolina
Driver: Ross Chastain, Alva, Florida
Crew Chief: Phil Surgen, Lake Elmore, Vermont
Car Chief: David Fero, Galt, California
Spotter: Brandon McReynolds, Mooresville, North Carolina
Engine Builder: ECR Engines, Welcome, North Carolina
Engine Tuner: Harry Holcomb, Mount Pulaski, Illinois
Fueler: Brook Davenport, Centreville, Maryland
Front Tire Changer: Mike Roberts, Hendersonville, North Carolina
Rear Tire Changer: Ken Pozega, Warren, Ohio
Jackman: Shane Wilson, Edgewater, Maryland
Tire Carrier: Matt Simmons, Charlotte, North Carolina
Engineer: Mike Skarbowski, Upper Black Eddy, Pennsylvania
Engineer: Mike Hann, East Granby, Connecticut
Mechanic: Josh Heidkamp, Vandalia, Ohio
Mechanic: Mike Madill, Glendale, Arizona
Tires: Patrick Lyden, Erie, Pennsylvania
Truck Driver: Roy Miller, Elkridge, Maryland
Truck Driver: John Fraceskino, Statesville, North Carolina
Notes of Interest
2022 marks Chastain’s second full-time Cup Series season. The Chevrolet driver’s first Cup Series start occurred in 2017.
Chastain won his first career Cup Series race at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas on March 27, 2022 and his second at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway on April 24.
Chastain owns 193 Xfinity Series starts with two wins (Las Vegas in Sept. 2018, and Daytona in July 2019), 21 top-five and 47 top-10 finishes.
The Florida native has 96 Camping World Truck Series starts with three wins, all earned in 2019, 17 top-five and 42 top-10 finishes.
Chastain joined Trackhouse Racing for the 2022 season after Chip Ganassi Racing was acquired last off season by Justin Marks.
Chastain has driven for Premium Motorsports, Spire Motorsports and Roush Fenway Racing in the Cup Series before his first full-time season in 2021.
Trackhouse founder and owner, Justin Marks, competed in six Cup Series races with a best finish of 12th-place in the 2018 Daytona 500. He made 35 starts in the Xfinity Series posting a win, three top-five and seven top-10s. He won the Xfinity Series race at Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course on Aug. 13, 2016 driving for Chip Ganassi Racing.
Marks competed in 38 races in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series posting four top-10s and capturing two pole awards. He joined four co-drivers in winning the 2009 Rolex 24 in the GT division.
Before turning a wheel in 2021, Trackhouse Racing became one of the more popular teams in NASCAR when it announced GRAMMY® Award-winning global superstar Pitbull had become a partner. Not only is he an active partner on the Trackhouse executive team, but Pitbull also serves as a brand and philanthropic ambassador.
Trackhouse Racing won the 2021 NASCAR Diversity Team Award.
TIL NEXT TIME, I AM STILL WORKING ON MY REDNECK!
