Local NASCAR driver prepares for success

PUNTA GORDA, Fla. – Ross Chastain, an Alva native, competes in NASCAR’s Xfinity series at Daytona on Saturday; the series used to be called the Nationwide Series. In many careers, it’s all about who you know. There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes in NASCAR, but part being successful, for a driver, is knowing the right people.

“The people that are allowing me to work with them behind the scenes,” Chastain said, “it’s going to set me up to race in competitive race cars down the road.”

Chastain’s hope is to someday race with the big boys in the Sprint Cup Series on Sundays. This year, he is racing in the Xfinity series, which is on Saturdays.

“My primary focus right now is Xfinity,” Chastian told WINK News, “and learning because that’s what I got to do,” he said, “because I don’t know what I need yet, and I’ll be honest,” Chastain said, “I’ve got a lot to learn and that’s what this year should be about.”

The young driver is hoping he can take note from some of the greats he sees around the track.

“Jeff Gordon is the man,” Chastain said, “it’s cool to be able to walk by the garage and shake his hand now. He says, ‘Hey Ross.’ and I’m like, ‘Holy cow, he’s talking to me!’ you know, that’s just cool,” Chastain continued, “He’s what guys like me look up to and want to be.”

Chastain spends much of his year renting a South Carolina townhouse from Dale Earnhardt Junior, but he has yet to meet him.

“I’m going to try to do that at Daytona,” Chastain said, “(I) play Madden with him all the time and talk on there, but we’ve never met in person.”

He hopes that some day soon he could be that guy for another aspiring racer. The Xfinity race is at 3:30 pm on Saturday while the Daytona 500 is on Sunday at 1:00 pm.