NASCAR: 5 possible Chip Ganassi Racing drivers for 2021
By Asher Fair
Possible Chip Ganassi Racing drivers: Ross Chastain
Ross Chastain is seen as the most likely candidate to drive the #42 Chevrolet next year. He landed a three-race deal to compete for Chip Ganassi Racing late in the 2018 NASCAR Xfinity Series season, and he was impressive in those three races.
He dominated the race at Darlington Raceway after starting from the pole position before he was wrecked by Kevin Harvick, and he rebounded at Las Vegas Motor Speedway with a resounding victory, the first of his career. He then finished in second place at Richmond Raceway.
This led to the 27-year-old Alva, Florida native signing a deal to compete for Chip Ganassi’s Xfinity Series team on a full-time basis in the 2019 season. But a chaotic sponsorship debacle forced Ganassi to shutter the program, and Chastain ended up competing full-time in the Truck Series for Niece Motorsports.
Chastain currently competes full-time for Kaulig Racing in the Xfinity Series, which is his his best full-time opportunity yet. But even though he has made only three starts for Ganassi’s team, he remains tied to the organization, and he is clearly on their radar for a full-time Cup Series ride at some point in the near future. Ganassi has even stated that he still has a plan for him.
Prior to the 2020 season, Chastain signed a two-race deal with Spire Motorsports to drive a Chip Ganassi Racing-prepared car in the season-opening Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway and the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He has since added to his Cup Series resume by subbing in for the injured Ryan Newman at Roush Fenway Racing for three races.