For the first time ever, Ross Chastain and the Trackhouse Racing Team took pole position for a NASCAR Cup Series race at Sunday’s Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway.
It was down to race 17 in their third season of NASCAR Cup Series competition, but the Trackhouse Racing team has finally claimed their first-ever pole position.
Ross Chastain, who has never taken pole himself before, will start Sunday night’s Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway from the front position.
Owned by Justin Marks and Pitbull, the team entered the Cup Series in 2021, competing in all 36 races with Daniel Suarez at the wheel of the #99 Chevrolet. In 2022 they added a second car, the #1 Chevrolet, for former Chip Ganassi Racing driver Chastain when they acquired Chip Ganassi Racing.
They also added a third car, the Chevrolet #91, as part of an initiative called PROJECT91, which aims to give internationally renowned racers the opportunity to compete in select Cup Series events.
This car has been used in two races so far, one last year at Watkins Glen International for former Formula 1 World Champion Kimi Raikkonen and another last March at the Circuit of the Americas also for Raikkonen.
All in all, the Trackhouse Racing Team started the Ally 400 race weekend in Nashville with a total of 142 starts in the NASCAR Cup Series.
And now the team that clinched their first three Cup Series victories a year ago has finally clinched their first pole position.
Chastain, who has made 167 career starts, clinched pole position for Sunday night’s 300-lap race by setting a lap time of 29.797 seconds (160.687 mph) of the 1.33-mile (2.140-kilometer) Lebanon drove four curves. Tennessee Oval during the second round of qualifying on Saturday afternoon.
23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace had been in search of his second career pole position before retiring when he crossed the checkered flag.
DraftKings Sportsbookwhich is now offering fans $150 instantly, just if they sign up and wager $5, has Chastain listed as the second favorite to win Sunday’s race at +550, just behind Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr., who is +up sixth-place qualified 450.
Chastain’s top three odds are +150. In two cup series starts of his career at the Nashville Superspeedway, he finished second and fifth.
Sunday’s Ally 400 is the first race of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season to be part of NBC’s broadcast schedule. Tune in at 7:00 p.m. ET for live coverage of the race from Nashville Superspeedway. Start a free trial of FuboTV today and don’t miss out!
- Published on 06/25/2023 at 10:30 am
- Last updated on 06/25/2023 at 08:16