NASCAR: Ross Chastain to run triple-duty at Daytona

By Mark Kristl | Jan 29, 2020

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - NOVEMBER 22: NASCAR driver Ross Chastain (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /

In the 2020 NASCAR season-opening race weekend at Daytona International Speedway, Ross Chastain is set to run triple-duty.

Ross Chastain is once again slated to run triple-duty in the NASCAR season-opening race weekend at Daytona International Speedway, it was announced earlier this week.

Chastain is set to compete in the Truck Series season opener driving for Niece Motorsports, presumably the #40 Chevrolet. The following day, he is set to compete in the Xfinity Series season opener behind the wheel of the #10 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet.

Finally, he is set to wrap up the race weekend with the Daytona 500 to open up the Cup Series season driving the #77 Spire Motorsports Chevrolet with support from Chip Ganassi Racing.

After winning three races and finishing in second place in the championship standings last year, Chastain is set to compete part-time in the Truck Series this year with Niece Motorsports. His two teammates for the season opener will be full-time driver Ty Majeski in the #45 Chevrolet and part-time driver Natalie Decker in the #44 Chevrolet.

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In five career Truck Series starts at Daytona International Speedway, Chastain has three DNFs. However, in the season opener last year, he avoided the wreckage and finished in third place. Where will he finish on Friday, February 14?

On Saturday, February 15, Chastain is set to race in his full-time Xfinity Series ride. In the most recent Xfinity Series race at Daytona International Speedway last July, he dominated the race, leading 49 laps and finishing in first and second place in the first two stages, respectively. When the checkered flag flew, Chastain delivered Kaulig Racing their first ever victory.

Finally, Chastain is set to wrap up his race weekend with his second career Daytona 500 start on Sunday, February 16. The 2019 edition of the race saw Chastain steadily improve 23 positions from his starting position to finish in a Cup Series career-high 10th place.

In the second Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway last year, Spire Motorsports won in major upset fashion with Justin Haley thanks to a weather-shortened race. With a Chip Ganassi Racing-prepared car, Chastain will have a fast #77 Chevrolet.

Chastain became a prominent storyline in the NASCAR season-opening race weekend at Daytona International Speedway last year, completing every lap in all three races.

In addition to those three points-paying races, Chastain is also slated to compete in one of the two Bluegreen Vacation Duels on Thursday, February 13. In which Duel he will compete will be determined via the single-car qualifying session for the Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 9. The Duels will set his starting position for the Daytona 500.

All told, if he completes all the laps in all four races, Chastain will complete 480 laps for 1,200 miles (420 laps for 1,050 miles excluding his Duel). The 27-year-old Alva, Florida native will have a busy race weekend at the four-turn, 2.5-mile (4.023-kilometer) high-banked superspeedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.

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You can watch Ross Chastain race in the NASCAR season-opening weekend at Daytona International Speedway from Friday, February 14 to Sunday, February 16. The Truck Series season-opening NextEra Energy 250 is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday, February 14 with live TV coverage provided by Fox Sports 1.

The following day, the Xfinity Series season-opening NASCAR Racing Experience 300 is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. ET with live TV coverage provided by Fox Sports 1. Lastly, the 62nd annual Daytona 500 is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 16 with live TV coverage provided by Fox.