For the first time ever, Ross Chastain and Trackhouse Racing Team have secured pole position in a NASCAR Cup Series race, namely Sunday’s Ally 400 at Nashville Superspeedway.
It took until the 17th race of their third season of NASCAR Cup Series competition, but Trackhouse Racing Team finally clinched its first-ever pole position.
Ross Chastain, who had never taken pole position himself, is expected to start Sunday night’s Ally 400 at the Nashville Superspeedway from first place.
The team owned by Justin Marks and Pitbull entered the Cup Series in 2021 and competed in all 36 races with Daniel Suarez driving the #99 Chevrolet. In 2022 they added a second car, the #1 Chevrolet , for former Chip Ganassi Racing driver Chastain upon acquisition of Chip Ganassi Racing.
They’ve also added a third car, the #91 Chevrolet, through an initiative called PROJECT91, which is designed to give internationally renowned race car drivers the opportunity to compete in select Cup Series events.
This car has been entered 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 Circuit of the Americas for Raikkonen as well.
Add it all up and Trackhouse Racing Team entered the Ally 400 race weekend in Nashville having made a total of 142 NASCAR Cup Series starts.
And now the team that claimed its first three Cup Series victories a year ago has finally secured its first pole position.
Chastain, who has made 167 career starts, took pole position for Sunday night’s 300-lap race by recording a lap time of 29.797 seconds (160.687 mph) around the four corners, 1.33 miles (2.140 kilometres) Lebanon, Tennessee Oval in the second round of Saturday afternoon’s qualifying session.
23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace had been looking for his second career pole position before he spun on arriving at the checkered flag.
DraftKings Sportsbookwhich is now offering fans instant $150 just for signing up and betting $5, has Chastain listed as the second favorite to win Sunday’s +550 race, just behind Joe Gibbs Racing’s Martin Truex Jr., who qualified in sixth place, at +450.
Chastain’s odds of making the top three are +150. In two career Cup Series starts at Nashville Superspeedway, he has recorded second and fifth place finishes.
Sunday’s Ally 400 is the first race of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season that is part of NBC’s broadcast schedule. Tune in at 7:00 p.m. ET for the live broadcast of the race from Nashville Superspeedway. Start a FuboTV free trial today and don’t miss it!
- Published on 06/25/2023 at 10:30
- Last update on 06/25/2023 at 08:16