Ross Chastain Trackhouse Racing Bristol Dirt Advance

As an eighth-generation watermelon farmer from Alva, Florida who is still involved in the family farm, Ross Chastain knows a lot about dirt.

Just not racing on it. 

“Dirt racing certainly isn’t in my background,” laughed Chastain. “I’ve always raced on asphalt, so I have very little experience dirt racing.” 

He knows he has a big challenge this weekend when the NASCAR Cup Series holds its third annual race Sunday on the half-mile, dirt track at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway. 

Chastain will pilot the No. 1 AdventHealth Chevrolet in two Friday evening practices followed by qualifying heat races Saturday evening and the main event Sunday.

He has a lot to race for this weekend. 

After a third-place finish at Richmond (Va.) Raceway last Sunday, the 30-year-old Trackhouse Racing driver arrives at Bristol second in the season standings, just four points behind leader Alex Bowman. 

He’ll need a better result than his two previous dirt races at Bristol that ended in an accident in 2021, and a top-10 run ruined by an engine issue last year. 

“I remember the race being stopped for rain last year and I was hoping it would pour because I knew if we restarted the race that my car was not going to make it,” said Chastain. “I was going to be happy with top-10 but of course the race was restarted (laughs).” 

Chastain is enjoying a busy week after racing at Richmond.

He filmed an episode of “McEnroe’s Places” for ESPN+ with tennis legend John McEnroe on Monday in Miami. On Wednesday, he will visit the South Carolina Governor’s Mansion for a press conference at 4 p.m. ET with Governor Henry McMaster on behalf of the South Carolina Department of Public Safety. 

Sunday’s race marks Advent’s third of six races in the 2023 season. The Altamonte Springs, Fla., company first partnered with Chastain in 2020 when he was a part-time driver in the Cup Series.

Fox will broadcast Sunday night’s race at 7 p.m. EDT.

2023 Point Standings

Ross Chastain, Driver of the No. 1 AdventHealth Chevrolet

What do you think about racing on dirt in NASCAR?

“There are a few guys in the Cup Series that know so much about it and have a huge passion for it which is cool. Bristol dirt is a unique event and I practice on the simulator as much as I can and kind of hope for the best. I’m certainly not qualified to talk to NASCAR about track prep and things like that when it comes to the surface (laughs).”

What do you have to say about your finish at Richmond last weekend?

“It was great to leave Richmond with a third-place finish last week. That track hasn’t been very kind to me. I usually start off pretty good and then it kind of tapers off from there. I think the third-place finish shows that we are making progress at a track that traditionally hasn’t been that good for me. I think one of the important things you look for as a driver is if you’re making progress each week, or at each track that you go to. You don’t want to stay stagnant, you always want to improve in some way.”

Chastain Notes

• 2023 marks Chastain’s third full-time Cup Series season. The Chevrolet driver’s first Cup Series start occurred in 2017.
• In 2022, Chastain won his first career Cup Series race at Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas on March 27 and his second at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway on April 24.
• The Chevrolet driver finished second in the season ending championship standings.
• Voted 2022 National Motorsports Press Association’s Driver of the Year.
• Known for the “Hail Melon” move at Martinsville (Va.) Speedway that has garnered over 225 million views and 1.2B impressions.
• Moose car from Martinsville topped all diecasts in sales for 2022.
• Chastain owns 198 Xfinity Series starts with two wins (Las Vegas in Sept. 2018, and Daytona in July 2019), 23 top-five and 49 top-10 finishes. 
• The Florida native has 102 Craftsman Truck Series starts with four wins, three earned in 2019, and one in 2022 at Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway, 19 top-five and 44 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.