Ross Chastain: “All of our plans worked out”

Photo by Erick Messer | The Racing Experts

All photos by Erick Messer / The Racing Experts

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Ross Chastain completed 438 laps in competition around Daytona International Speedway across NASCAR’s top-three series during Speedweeks 2019.

Chastain competed in the Gander Outdoors Truck Series with Neice Motorsports, in the Xfinity Series with Kaulig Racing, and in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series with Premium Motorsports.

Chastain finished third, 11th, and 10th respectively in the three races.

But the Alva, Florida-native knew the wrecks were going to happen and just rode around dodging accidents to bring the car (or truck) home in one piece. Chastain described how he avoided the accidents across all three series.

“Luckily we had a plan in the Truck race, knowing they were gonna crash, and in the Xfinity race, we just got lucky because we went and raced and nobody did crash, but good thing we did race.

“And tonight (Sunday), we knew from the beginning to just ride and we got two laps down at one point. But the car was fast enough to keep it up, it was just a matter of timing our gaps and trying to stay in that second pack.

“It’s luck, for sure. Definitely luck,” Chastain said laughing. “I said it this morning, we’re gonna use all our luck up this weekend and I might come back here for five years and crash right, you just don’t know. You just take it when you can get it.

Jay Robinson elected to keep Chastain in the car despite receiving offers from other drivers because the team-owner knew that him and Chastain could work well together to bring home a good finish.

“Me and Jay Robinson working together, having a plan coming in, that’s why he kept me in the car and he did not put other people in I think, cause he knew we could work together.”