NASCAR Xfinity Series: Ross Chastain dominates 2018 DC Solar 300

Ross Chastain dominated the 2018 DC Solar 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway en route to securing his first career NASCAR Xfinity Series race victory.

For the first time in his career, Ross Chastain has earned a victory in the NASCAR Xfinity Series. The driver of the #42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet dominated the DC Solar 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to secure this victory.

Chastain, who started in fifth place, won the 200-lap race around the four-turn, 1.5-mile (2.414-kilometer) Las Vegas Motor Speedway oval in Las Vegas, Nevada by 1.629 seconds over JR Motorsports’ Justin Allgaier, the newly crowned 2018 Xfinity Series regular season champion who finished in second in his #7 Chevrolet.

After winning the race in dominant fashion, the 25-year-old Alva, Florida native did a burnout that involved him driving his DC Solar-sponsored #42 Chevrolet over the DC Solar logo painted on the infield of Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Chastain earned this victory in his 132nd career Xfinity Series start, but he did so in just his second start driving Chip Ganassi Racing. He also dominated the Sport Clips Haircuts VFW 200 at Darlington Raceway two weeks ago driving for the team, but he was involved in a late wreck with Kevin Harvick that caused his car to be damaged and prevented him from being victorious. Just like he did in today’s race, he won stages one and two in that race as well.

More from Xfinity Series

• NASCAR: Two new drivers linked to Joe Gibbs Racing
• NASCAR: Frankie Muniz linked to surprise landing spot
• NASCAR: How a sudden downfall inadvertently created a champion
• NASCAR: Kaulig driver linked to Joe Gibbs Racing for 2024
• NASCAR: Another top prospect leaves Toyota for 2024

Stewart-Haas Racing’s Cole Custer, who started the race form the pole position, was the highest finishing Ford driver of the race. He finished in third place in his #00 Ford. Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell was the highest finishing Toyota driver of the race. He finished in fourth in his #20 Toyota. JR Motorsports’ Elliott Sadler rounded out the top five by finishing in fifth in his #1 Chevrolet.

Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Ryan Preece and Brandon Jones, Kaulig Racing’s Ryan Truex, Team Penske’s Austin Cindric and GMS Racing’s Spencer Gallagher rounded out the top 10 by finishing in sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth and 10th place in their #18 Toyota, #19 Toyota, #11 Chevrolet, #22 Ford and #23 Chevrolet, respectively.

The race featured a total of 11 lead changes among four drivers. Aside of Chastain, who led 180 laps, three other drivers led at least one lap of the race. Those drivers were Allgaier, Custer and Daniel Hemric. As stated above, Chastain won both stages one and two.

The race featured a total of eight caution flag periods, of which six took place as a result of on-track incidents. The usual two took place as a result of the endings of stages one and two. A total of 27 of the 40 drivers who started the race finished it. Of the 27 drivers who finished it, 16 finished it on the lead lap.

Here are the full race results of the 2018 DC Solar 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

The next race on the 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series schedule is the first race of the playoffs. This race, the Go Bowling 250, is scheduled to take place on Friday, September 21. It is set to be broadcast live on NBC Sports Network beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET.