2022 Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Talladega Advance - Speedway Digest

There is no better place for Ross Chastain to run Jockey’s red, white and blue Made in America paint scheme than at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. The track is known for the semi that parades a 10 foot by 19 foot American flag one lap around the track during pre race.

While superspeedway races are often feast or famine, Chastain has fond memories from the spring race at the 2.66-mile track. In a thrilling finish, Chastain took the lead on the final lap shortly before the finish line. The win marked the Jockey driver’s second career Cup Series victory.

One major difference this time at Talladega, is Chastain is competing in the Round of 12 playoffs. Another win at Talladega this weekend would catapult him into the Round of 8 in the playoffs.

The second year Trackhouse team, competing in its first season as a multicar team, joins Hendrick Motorsports, Penske Racing, Stewart-Haas Racing and Joe Gibbs Racing as the only teams with playoff drivers still in contention.

Chastain enters the second race in the Round of 12 with 3,059 points, 25 points above the ninth and final transfer position. If he remains in the top eight or wins this weekend or next week at the Roval at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, he will advance to the next playoff round that begins Oct. 16 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

In addition to his win at Talladega in April, Chastain secured his first career Cup win at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas on March 27. The Alva, Florida native has 10 top-fives, 16 top 10s and 585 laps led throughout 30 races this season.

Last weekend at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Chastain earned a 13th-place finish after surviving a record setting caution-filled race. He earned 15 bonus points throughout the first two stages to bring home a top-15 finish.

NBC will broadcast Sunday’s Cup race at 2 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.

Ross Chastain, Driver of the No. 1 Jockey Made in America Chevrolet

How do you think Talladega will go for you?

“Unfortunately, my belief is when you win a superspeedway race, you have to pay it back for a long time so you don’t finish good for a long time. So I’ll be very lucky if I get to finish that race. If I can just stay on the bottom again and they move out of my way and I take the checkered flag in first, that would be great. Spring Talladega was wild. We’ll always have good memories but I’ve had a lot of wrecked racecars there.”

Do you feel confident since you won the Spring race?

“No, I don’t feel confident just because I won the race there earlier this year (laughs). That was pure luck, it’s still hard for me to believe it happened.”