No. 1 AdventHealth Chevrolet driver Ross Chastain hopes for at least a repeat performance at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Kansas on Sunday.
The Alva, Florida native led four laps and finished seventh in May on the 1.5-mile Kansas track.
But, the stakes are much higher this weekend.
Sunday’s race on the same track marks the second of three Round of 16 races in the 2022 NASCAR Playoffs.
Four of the 16 playoff drivers will be eliminated from championship contention after the the Sept. 17 race at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway.
Chastain is eighth in the standings and 15 points ahead of the final transfer position. A win Sunday automatically advances the No. 1 team into the Round of 12 that begins at Texas Motor Speedway on Sept. 25.
Chastain already has two wins in 2022 – Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas on March 27 and Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway on April 24, 10 top-fives, 14 top 10s and 584 laps led.
His Chevrolet showed winning speed in Darlington Sunday night in the opening race of the playoffs. Chastain was running in the top-five when an issue caused two unexpected pit stops trapping the driver multiple laps down. He was able to make up all but one lap and recovered to finish 20th.
On Saturday at Kansas, Chastain will pilot the No. 48 Chevrolet for Big Machine Racing in the Xfinity Series.
Before making his way to the track, Chastain will visit the AdventHealth Shawnee Mission campus in Merriam, Kansas to help distribute teddy bears to the children.
USA Network will broadcast Saturday’s Xfinity race at 3 p.m. ET and Sunday’s Cup race at 3 p.m. ET.
USA Network’s “Race for the Championship”
Watch Ross Chastain and teammate Daniel Suárez in upcoming episodes of USA Network’s “Race for The Championship.” The unscripted documentary follows Chastain, Suárez and other NASCAR Cup Series drivers and teams.
USA Network will air a new episode on Thursday at 10 p.m. ET.
The series will give a behind-the-scenes look at the elite drivers and teams competing in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Documenting the lives of the sport’s best on and off the track, viewers will get a rare glimpse of what it takes to balance personal relationships with the pressure to perform. Packed with action, heart and drama, this exhilarating series will offer up a taste of what it’s really like to partake in the world’s top level of stock car racing. Watch as the drivers are pushed mentally and physically to their limits, navigating a NASCAR season unlike any other – with a new car, new tracks and new challenges – for their chance to make history.
Over 10 episodes, “Race for the Championship” will tell the story of the 2022 NASCAR Cup season and playoffs.
Chastain and other drivers attended the world premiere of the series last Thursday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
Ross Chastain, Driver of the No. 1 AdventHealth Chevrolet
What is the key to have a long, successful run in the playoffs?
“I don’t really know what it takes to have a long, successful run in the playoffs because I’ve never been in this position before. I’m just taking it week by week, just like I would do in the regular season.”
How does it feel to be in the playoffs for your first time?
“As a fan, I remember watching some of these guys growing up. Now, to be in the playoffs with them is really cool.”
Can you describe Kansas and what you think of it?
“Kansas is in a group of tracks that you run pretty high on, up near the wall, and early in my career, that was not normal or comfortable for me. I’ve put a lot of effort in, just like a lot of guys have. I truly enjoy running at the top there now and up against the wall. I didn’t grow up racing at tracks on the high groove. I grew up racing around the bottom groove. I go to Kansas now and confidently run the wall. I’m super happy I get to run the Xfinity car at Kansas. It was on my priority list to run the Xfinity race to get more track time and more reps.”
If you were to win the pole at Kansas, would you put an engine in the pedal car that they give away to pole winner?
“I think the chances of me doing that could be pretty high. Growing up, a lot of things that I had would have a motor in it.”
