NASCAR: 5 possible landing spots for Ross Chastain in 2021
By Asher Fair
Ross Chastain is one of the top drivers who is not currently competing at NASCAR’s top level. Where will he end up in the 2021 season?
Ross Chastain has competed in the NASCAR Cup Series since the 2017 season, and he did so on a full-time basis in the 2018 and 2019 seasons. But he has never truly had the chance to contend for solid results, as he drove for a backmarker team in Premium Motorsports from 2017 through 2019 and recorded just five top 20 finishes and one top 10 result in 71 starts.
He had his best opportunity yet earlier this season when he piloted a Chip Ganassi Racing-prepared entry for Spire Motorsports in the Daytona 500, but a late wreck knocked him out of contention for the win.
He then got another solid yet unexpected opportunity to fill in for the injured Ryan Newman at Roush Fenway Racing after Newman suffered a serious head injury in a last-lap crash at Daytona International Speedway. He competed for the team on loan from Chip Ganassi Racing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Auto Club Speedway and Phoenix Raceway.
The 27-year-old Alva, Florida native has since made two more sports with Spire Motorsports, one at Charlotte Motor Speedway and another at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. In his eight starts this season, he has finished no lower than 29th place. His average finish is 21.9, with top finishes of 16th at Daytona International Speedway and 17th at Auto Club Speedway and Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Will he finally get an opportunity to run for a solid Cup Series team?
His success in NASCAR’s lower levels is well-documented, including his start to the 2020 Xfinity Series season and his runner-up finish in last year’s Truck Series championship, despite not declaring for points until halfway through the 16-race regular season.
Here are five possible landing spots for the “Watermelon Man” in 2021.