March 18, 2025 • 6 mins
Denis talks with ROSS CHASTAIN about racing at Darlington, the 2025 Season, and his background. We also talk about life on the farm, and how it helped him to where he is today!
The Goodyear 400 is coming up the first weekend of April! Make sure you cheer on Ross Chastain, at the Darlington Raceway!
The Goodyear 400 is coming up the first weekend of April! Make sure you cheer on Ross Chastain, at the Darlington Raceway!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
On the iHeartRadio Hotline. We're joined by Ross Chastain, NASCAR Superstar.
I wanted to start by talking about how Darlington, which
is right in our own backyard, is coming up fast
and furious on the calendar. How does the unique challenge
of a track like a Darlington Raceway influence something like
technical strategy.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Yeah, it's a lot there. The track and being as
close to the coast as it is, and the asphalt
that they use when they paved it tend to wear
our tires out really quickly. So you'll see us pitting
a lot. So that's up for Phil Surge and my
crew chief and track House and Chevrolet to come up
with the optimal times to pit. And when you do that,
(00:42):
it's under green and you're hoping that it doesn't fall.
The caution doesn't fall right there. We see that affect
the races there a lot. So yeah, if you can
time all that riding and the unknown of when the cautions,
if someone spins out or loses a wheel or something
and the caution comes out, that can ruin your day
(01:02):
or put you in a spot to win. So there's
a lot of strategy and then sometimes a little bit
of luck. To go with it.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
Yeah, twenty twenty five so far as coming to, like,
I guess, a strong start for you and the team.
You know, how do you build on momentum needed for
consistent points, especially in this early part of the season.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Yeah, the last two weeks with Phoenix and Las Vegas
have shown quite a bit of promise with poor execution
on my hand at Phoenix and speeding on pit road
and ruining our race, and then Las Vegas we executed
well and a lot of ups and downs, but it
all worked out and we finished fifth, and I thought
each race we could have been in the top five.
So that's something that is promising. And my teammate at
(01:46):
Las Vegas and Phoenix was honestly a little bit better.
So I'm excited that both two of our cars are
are running well. And yeah, it means that we made
some good decisions in the off season and now we
try to keep the ball rolling in the right direction.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
You know, probably one of my more favorite maneuvers I've
ever seen in the sport was that move you made
in Martinsville in twenty twenty two, that riding the wall,
you know, and it's still talked about one of those
high risk high reward moments in sports. You know, as
you grow in your career and gain experience, how has
(02:22):
your view on those do or die moments changed over
the years.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Yes, well it it is that was high risk. The
Heilm Mellen was a desperate attempt to make up two
spots and reward. It's exactly what we accomplished. So we
were able to go fight for a championship and put
ourselves in a very very still We'll do whatever it takes.
(02:50):
And we can't ride the wall anymore, they've outlawed that.
But whatever it takes to try to win, well, you know,
any NASCAR driver would do it.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Found success at every meaningful level that you've raised, and
I'm talking about truck, Exfinity Cup. How has your earlier
days of racing truck and Exfinity influenced you as the
driver that you are today.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Well, it makes me appreciate the team I have now
more than I would have if I would have had
this early on. I just having all of the sets
of tires available each weekend and the best motor that
money can buy. We have and I didn't always have that.
Things like that that just take take dollars and cents
(03:36):
and sponsorship to get there, and I didn't always have it,
and now I've got a fully funded cup car. So
appreciation first of all, and then just the desire to
take full advantage of it and wake up every day
and remember those days where it wasn't just good and
try to enjoy it and take full advantage of it.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
Outside of racing, I think you know a thing or
two about a strong work ethic, about working hard. Because
I was reading about how you come from a family
of farmers. You know a thing or two about watermelon farming.
How has that connection to your family's farming heritage kept
you grounded? And how has that applied into like a
(04:21):
high pressure work environment like racing and NASCAR? And are
there parallels between hard work and success, whether it's farming
or racing.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Growing up at the farm and finding racing and turning
this into my career, a dream turned career, I realized
that I would much rather be a race car driver
than the hard work it would take to farm. My
family does an amazing job, and they do the real work.
I've I live a great life being a race car driver,
but I try to help where I can and try
(04:52):
to promote watermelons. That's the single best thing I can
do is just get in front of people and remind
them and and knowing that that no matter whose watermelon
they buy, if they're buying a watermelon, it's going to
be good for the whole industry, and by by chance,
it's going to help us. So the name of our farm,
(05:15):
but my dad's my dad's farm is JDI, which answer
just do it. And we we live by that motto.
My Dad's instilled that in us from as from as
early as I can remember. And it's just when any
job is there to be done, it doesn't really matter
for the farm, it would be it would be theirs
is raining, Well, you still have to get whatever job done.
(05:36):
You're going to get wet or or it's too dry
and you got to get water to the plants, so
you just figure out a way to do it.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Just do it.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
So I live by that and and just kind of
wake up and go about whatever needs to be done
each day, and all building towards trying to win a
race on Sunday.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Well, best of luck, and I can't wait to see
you in Darlington. Hopefully you take victory Lane and grab
that check record flag. For the good Year four hundred
coming up in just a couple of weeks. Ross Chastain,
thank you so much for joining us today.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Yeah, thanks for having me
On the iHeartRadio Hotline. We're joined by Ross Chastain, NASCAR Superstar.
I wanted to start by talking about how Darlington, which
is right in our own backyard, is coming up fast
and furious on the calendar. How does the unique challenge
of a track like a Darlington Raceway influence something like
technical strategy.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Yeah, it's a lot there. The track and being as
close to the coast as it is, and the asphalt
that they use when they paved it tend to wear
our tires out really quickly. So you'll see us pitting
a lot. So that's up for Phil Surge and my
crew chief and track House and Chevrolet to come up
with the optimal times to pit. And when you do that,
(00:42):
it's under green and you're hoping that it doesn't fall.
The caution doesn't fall right there. We see that affect
the races there a lot. So yeah, if you can
time all that riding and the unknown of when the cautions,
if someone spins out or loses a wheel or something
and the caution comes out, that can ruin your day
(01:02):
or put you in a spot to win. So there's
a lot of strategy and then sometimes a little bit
of luck. To go with it.
Speaker 1 (01:09):
Yeah, twenty twenty five so far as coming to, like,
I guess, a strong start for you and the team.
You know, how do you build on momentum needed for
consistent points, especially in this early part of the season.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Yeah, the last two weeks with Phoenix and Las Vegas
have shown quite a bit of promise with poor execution
on my hand at Phoenix and speeding on pit road
and ruining our race, and then Las Vegas we executed
well and a lot of ups and downs, but it
all worked out and we finished fifth, and I thought
each race we could have been in the top five.
So that's something that is promising. And my teammate at
(01:46):
Las Vegas and Phoenix was honestly a little bit better.
So I'm excited that both two of our cars are
are running well. And yeah, it means that we made
some good decisions in the off season and now we
try to keep the ball rolling in the right direction.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
You know, probably one of my more favorite maneuvers I've
ever seen in the sport was that move you made
in Martinsville in twenty twenty two, that riding the wall,
you know, and it's still talked about one of those
high risk high reward moments in sports. You know, as
you grow in your career and gain experience, how has
(02:22):
your view on those do or die moments changed over
the years.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
Yes, well it it is that was high risk. The
Heilm Mellen was a desperate attempt to make up two
spots and reward. It's exactly what we accomplished. So we
were able to go fight for a championship and put
ourselves in a very very still We'll do whatever it takes.
(02:50):
And we can't ride the wall anymore, they've outlawed that.
But whatever it takes to try to win, well, you know,
any NASCAR driver would do it.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
Found success at every meaningful level that you've raised, and
I'm talking about truck, Exfinity Cup. How has your earlier
days of racing truck and Exfinity influenced you as the
driver that you are today.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
Well, it makes me appreciate the team I have now
more than I would have if I would have had
this early on. I just having all of the sets
of tires available each weekend and the best motor that
money can buy. We have and I didn't always have that.
Things like that that just take take dollars and cents
(03:36):
and sponsorship to get there, and I didn't always have it,
and now I've got a fully funded cup car. So
appreciation first of all, and then just the desire to
take full advantage of it and wake up every day
and remember those days where it wasn't just good and
try to enjoy it and take full advantage of it.
Speaker 1 (03:58):
Outside of racing, I think you know a thing or
two about a strong work ethic, about working hard. Because
I was reading about how you come from a family
of farmers. You know a thing or two about watermelon farming.
How has that connection to your family's farming heritage kept
you grounded? And how has that applied into like a
(04:21):
high pressure work environment like racing and NASCAR? And are
there parallels between hard work and success, whether it's farming
or racing.
Speaker 2 (04:30):
Growing up at the farm and finding racing and turning
this into my career, a dream turned career, I realized
that I would much rather be a race car driver
than the hard work it would take to farm. My
family does an amazing job, and they do the real work.
I've I live a great life being a race car driver,
but I try to help where I can and try
(04:52):
to promote watermelons. That's the single best thing I can
do is just get in front of people and remind
them and and knowing that that no matter whose watermelon
they buy, if they're buying a watermelon, it's going to
be good for the whole industry, and by by chance,
it's going to help us. So the name of our farm,
(05:15):
but my dad's my dad's farm is JDI, which answer
just do it. And we we live by that motto.
My Dad's instilled that in us from as from as
early as I can remember. And it's just when any
job is there to be done, it doesn't really matter
for the farm, it would be it would be theirs
is raining, Well, you still have to get whatever job done.
(05:36):
You're going to get wet or or it's too dry
and you got to get water to the plants, so
you just figure out a way to do it.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Just do it.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
So I live by that and and just kind of
wake up and go about whatever needs to be done
each day, and all building towards trying to win a
race on Sunday.
Speaker 1 (05:54):
Well, best of luck, and I can't wait to see
you in Darlington. Hopefully you take victory Lane and grab
that check record flag. For the good Year four hundred
coming up in just a couple of weeks. Ross Chastain,
thank you so much for joining us today.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Yeah, thanks for having me
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