A SWFL racecar driver heads to McDonald’s fully suited up during Daytona 500 rain delay

Reporter: Andrea Guerrero Writer: Drew Hill
Published: Updated:
ross chastain at mcdonalds

On Sunday, February 14, Ross Chastain placed seventh in the Daytona 500. But, before that, the race went into a six-hour rain delay, which gave Chastain enough time to go to McDonald’s and get food for his crew and himself.

While he may be famous on paper, Ross just wants you to know he’s still a regular guy from Alva.

“Ahh did you come from the racetrack? Yeah, we’re racing if it ever stops raining!” you can hear from his video that went viral.

Chastain went from the racetrack to the McDonald’s drive-thru during last weekend’s rain delay during the Daytona 500.

The driver from Alva decided he and his crew need some fuel. “My first thought when I stepped out of the car it was ‘wow I’m pretty hungry,'” he said. “They were like ‘let’s go to McDonald’s’ and I was like ‘well I’ll just go get it for everybody.'”

That six-hour rain delay gave Chastain, known as ‘Watermelon Man’ more than enough time to hit the drive-thru.

“I race in the McDonalds car,” he said. “For real?” the employee replied. “Yeah! Number 42.”

The McDonald’s employee’s reaction has since gone viral on Twitter, TikTok and Instagram.

“I kind of froze because I was like why is she freaking out?” said Ross. “I was like’ oh yeah I’m in my suit whoops that’s right!’ But, in the moment, I thought, do I have something on my face? Why does her face look so startled? And then she screamed!”

Once the race did actually restart, Chastain finished seventh. And, of course, he’s looking forward to driving his number 42 car, with its makeover, at Daytona again this weekend.

“It doesn’t even have to say the word McDonald’s because everybody knows. It screams McDonald’s,” Chastain said.

As for those Mcdonald’s employees, he says they can expect him to make another pit-stop soon.

“Hot fudge? That’s mine!”

Chastain said that he’s glad the employees enjoyed his visit and is glad to see that his fans get to see him enjoying the little things in life, like a trip to the McDonald’s drive-thru.

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