There will be plenty of watermelon to snack on and lots of fun, too! An eighth-generation watermelon farmer, Chastain is proud to welcome first-time NASCAR sponsor, the Mar-Del Watermelon Association, to DGM Racing's Chevrolet this weekend. His trajectory has been a series of starts, stops and sponsorship searches. He continued to run most of the Cup schedule, running the entirety of the summer schedule save for the Sonoma Raceway event, where Justin Marks drove. We do two in Florida, but the rest of the country does one, and we import. Watermelons thrive when planted and grown with temperatures ranging between 70F and 85F (21.1C and 29.4C), but still handle temperatures of 90F (32.2C). @WatermelonBoard #WatermelonOnTheGo pic.twitter.com/UYb9ZBFRbw, Ross Chastain (@RossChastain) May 3, 2019. "[45] Chastain, for his part, finished 25th after repairs and called running up front "cool" and also saying "I don't care what Harvick says. My dad and uncle became old enough to farm on their own. But hes not super bothered if NASCAR fans dont know his name yet. With Chastain still racing for a Truck Series championship this year and because watermelon farming isnt your average day job, For The Win recently spoke with the No. "[98] Although NASCAR ruled the maneuver legal, some race competitors and commentators criticized the move's safety and called on NASCAR to prohibit the move from setting a precedent at future races. [15] Chastain also came close to the win at the penultimate race at Phoenix, finishing second to Erik Jones after leading over 60 laps. Its the same for everybody. Im just the one that gets to talk about it now, but I think for farmers and small racers everywhere, this is a big win., Copyright 2023, News Tribune Publishing. Watermelons have rarely been highlighted the way they were Sunday when Chastain won his first career Cup race. Chastain began the 2022 season with a 40th place finish at the 2022 Daytona 500 and a 29th place finish at Auto Club Speedway. Bob Stewart has been farming since 1998. He headed to the store. Susan Chastain is a traveling nurse and nervously paced around the Trackhouse pit stall Sunday holding her breath as her son closed out his first win. [35] Chastain also returned to the truck series at Iowa on an off week for the Cup Series and a companion race with the Xfinity Series, driving the No. Ross Chastain: Watermelon farm to Chicago streets | NASCAR At Phoenix, Chastain finished third in the Cup Championship race to finish a career-best second in the points standings. Watermelons have rarely been highlighted the way they were Sunday when Chastain won his first career Cup race. Yeah too much. Well, I dont want to leave Victory Lane, and Ill stay there as long as theyll let me. Chastain puts watermelons in spotlight - News Tribune 77 in a partnership between Chip Ganassi Racing and Spire Motorsports. He will also be taking part in NASCARs throwback weekend by racing a paint scheme originally run by Dale Earnhardt Jr. in Japan in the late 1990s. The 29-year-old then snagged a chunk of broken watermelon off the Circuit of the Americas asphalt and took a hearty bite. [99] A rule change on January 31, 2023 officially made such moves illegal and subject to a time penalty. 42 Xfinity Series car in 2019", "Chip Ganassi Racing shuts down No. J.D.I Farms began when his great-grandfather finished his military commitment and has been passed down several generations. Ross has quickly become one of the hottest drivers on the track in NASCAR and made his return to the place where his racing career literally got its start. This is our go time to grow the watermelons.. It. in a play on the famous Nike slogan. The Chastain family initially settled in Georgia until Chastain's great-grandfather relocated to Punta Gorda, Florida. 5 Wauters Motorsports truck at Gateway Motorsports Park. During the spring, Chastain broke the all-time NASCAR record for most consecutive races run across all three national series to start a season, surpassing the mark of 22 set by Kyle Busch set in 2008. [31] Chastain was originally on the entry list to drive the No. Shortly after finishing fifth at Kansas, Noah Gragson confronted him over a racing incident between them that resulted in Gragson hitting the outside wall. 55 for Viva Motorsports. [94], Weeks later at Atlanta, Chastain spun Hamlin with 14 laps to go. Ross Chastain: Watermelon farmer to NASCAR driver - WCYB [66] In June, he announced his intention to switch to Truck Series points to compete for a championship in the series. 41 Chevrolet Silverado for Niece Motorsports. CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) Ross Chastain started the NASCAR season with one watermelon and it traveled with him from track to track. [51] With the win, a playoff berth was wrapped up, the first of his career. [12], In January 2013, it was announced that Chastain would drive in 15 Camping World Truck Series races in 2013 for Brad Keselowski Racing. Ross Chastain Parents, Net Worth, Wife, Family, Ethnicity, Salary We just honed in on watermelons as the family business. The eighth generation watermelon farmer from Florida did not call home and ask his family to send a fresh melon to Austin, Texas, for the first road course of the season. #BuckleUpNY and #ProtectYourMelon stickers that are coming to a grocery store near you. Ross Chastain: The Watermelon Man - SPEED SPORT Doug Simpson, Simpson Acres Trenton, FL Even so, he never moves too far beyond the work the rest of his family is putting in at the farm. Sign up for the For The Win newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. We buy them at the grocery store, just like everybody else does, Chastain said. 77 Advent Health Chevy, Chastain found himself in the closing laps with an opportunity that could have changed his career. It. in a play on the famous Nike slogan. [2] Ross is the older brother of Chad Chastain. These days, the family has a watermelon farm in Punta Gorda, Fla. Ross Chastain is an eighth-generation watermelon farmer. Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. Its just scary stuff. Chad Chastain is also the spotter for his brother; if he's at the track, their father cannot attend the race. The Florida native has traveled with a watermelon to every race, waiting for the time to come. The eighth generation watermelon farmer from Florida did not call home and ask his family to send a fresh melon to Austin, Texas, for the first road course of the season. 45 Chevrolet driver about watermelons. There are a lot of people who arent going to be sleeping in their homes tonight, Chastain added. Green River, Utah. Mississippi governor requests federal assistance for tornado damage, Miami-Louisville winner will receive a trophy recognizing Howard Schnellenberger. The opportunity emerged after Chastain raced with TriStar Motorsports at the end of the 2014 season. DC Solar was announced as a backer for Chastain's effort. Im just the one that gets to talk about it now, but I think for farmers and small racers everywhere, this is a big win., More AP auto racing: https://apnews.com/hub/auto-racing and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports. His trajectory has been a series of starts, stops and sponsorship searches. Ross Chastain is an 8th generation watermelon farmer from Alva, FL and often spends time working on the farm when he's not in the driver's seat. 715 Sound Avenue. But I talked to a lot of my family on the phone, everybody is accounted for and everybody we know is accounted for, thats first and foremost, Chastain told reporters, per FOX Sports Bob Pockrass. The fruit lasted five weeks before The Watermelon Man had to freshen his supply. Chastain set a record for the fastest lap during a NASCAR Cup Series race for the track. 15 truck for the World of Westgate 200 and finished seventh, Premium's best-ever finish across all three NASCAR national series. When Chastain was informed about how serious Roush Fenway Racing wanted him to approach this new venture, it rivaled the phone call he received when they inquired about him coming aboard to spell Newman as he recovered from his injuries. Keep up the good work Ross. J.D.I Farms began when his great-grandfather finished his military. [52] Chastain also revealed that he was not being paid to drive the car, something that he claimed was reason for ridicule within the sport. When he finally hit the jackpot with the promise of full-season backing from DC Solar, the FBI raided the business in a Ponzi scheme investigation. [68] Chastain's team appealed the penalty, though it was eventually upheld after a hearing with National Motorsports Appeals panelist Bryan Moss. As Chastain was a guest driver, he was ineligible for championship points. He headed to the store. 07 car in the Xfinity Series race at Circuit of the Americas, replacing its normal driver, Joe Graf Jr.[88]. | By Ross Chastain | Facebook Log In Forgot Account? My brother Chad tells me what to do and I do it.. If Chad comes to the race, my dad stays back, and if my dad comes to the race, Chad stays back; if the boss is away, the mice will play, right? Chastain said. Ross could talk farming all day," the communications director said as he stepped onto the riser in victory lane. Chastain's family owns a watermelon farm in tiny, rural Alva, Florida and as he has famously done with past victories in both the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and Xfinity Series, Chastain stood on top of his winning car, the No.1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, and dropped a watermelon to the track, crushing it on the ground as his team and . The family has five full-time employees so yes, Chastain has to farm when hes home in Florida and an outside crew is used for planting, watering and harvesting. Keselowski originally finished in fourth place, but was disqualified after his car was ruled to be underweight post-race. Listen Now! (Chris Trotman/Getty Images). Visiting Ross Chastain's watermelon farm - Facebook When Chastain isn't racing and working on racecars, he can be found working tirelessly on his family's watermelon farm, JDI Farms, in southwest Florida. 44 for Niece Motorsports in Partial Schedule", "Two of Kaulig Racing's three cars DNQ from Xfinity race", "Daytona 500: Riverdale grad Ross Chastain fails to finish after crashing late in race", "Ross Chastain will replace Ryan Newman in the No. The farm is currently run by Chastains father, Ralph, and his brother, Chad. J.D.I Farms began when his great-grandfather finished his military commitment and has been passed down several generations. Some of my cousins and uncles and different parts of the family are just finishing up in Delaware and out in Kentucky. Sign up here to receive the monthly What About Watermelon? 42 Xfinity Team", "Chip Ganassi won't run No. [61] On January 31, Chastain announced he would return to the No. 42 Chevrolet in 2021. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. In 2017, Chastain joined Premium Motorsports' No. Hes now got a spot in the 16-driver playoff field and goes to Richmond for Sundays race ranked a career-best fifth in the standings. 4 JD Motorsports ride for 30 races, replacing Blake Koch, who stepped away to focus on business ventures. Our family farm is ready for harvest! NASCAR's Ross Chastain Describes Hurricane Ian Impact On Family, Farm [23] He achieved this after a tight points battle with J. J. Yeley for the spot in the last four races of the season. https://ftw.usatoday.com/2019/10/ross-chastain-nascar-watermelon-farmer-truck-championship-xfinity-kauling, Why a NASCAR driver was yelling about watermelons after first win, lost it because of last-minute sponsorship issues, NASCAR reveals 2024 Hall of Fame nominees, including Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus, NASCARs first street-course race led to a hilarious on-track traffic jam in Chicago, 15 super cool photos from NASCAR's first street race in downtown Chicago, 6 things to know about NASCAR's first street race in downtown Chicago, Breaking down NASCAR's playoff picture with just 10 regular-season races left, Daytona International Speedway might host Jaguars games, even though it probably shouldn't, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. I sit here, and I look at this (watermelon) and I think back to the stories of our family, Chastain said after his aggressive battle with former teammate AJ Allmendinger on the final lap of overtime earned him and Trackhouse Racing their first victories. (AP Photo/Stephen Spillman), Ross Chastain shares his experiences as a watermelon farmer during a post-race interview after winning a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Circuit of the Americas, Sunday, March 27, 2022, in Austin, Texas. He was 18 when he made his debut in the Truck Series and although hes made 410 starts across NASCARs three national series, Chastain has run only eight full seasons since his 2011 debut. You got to stay on everybody, and plants are in the ground, and well start harvesting in a few weeks. The popularity of iRacing with FOX Sports broadcasting a simulcast on national television brought 910,000 viewers in its first week and 1.3 million the next. No. Crop insurance doesnt exist for watermelon farmers in Florida, Chastain said, and that has limited the number of production farms to less than 10. Chastain received the all-clear from his family. Yeah, between 45,000 and 50,000 pounds of watermelons go on a semi. Later in the same race, Chastain ran into Chase Elliott, causing him to spin. In the whole world, theres not one person it hasnt touched with this pandemic. [96] He was retroactively credited with a fourth-place finish after Brad Keselowski was disqualified.[a]. * Season still in progress1 Ineligible for series points2 Chastain began the 2019 season racing for Xfinity Series points but switched to Truck Series points before the SpeedyCash.com 400 at Texas. Germination occurs in a couple of days, when seeds are planted in 95F (35C) and can take a week, when planted in 70F (21.1C). Newman's car was hit while in mid-air near the driver's compartment and he needed to be extricated from his car and would be hospitalized with his condition unknown for hours. 11:43 PM EDT, Fri May 06, 2022 A A PUNTA GORDA, Fla. It has been a busy last 36 hours for Ross Chastain as he has gone from the race track to his family's watermelon farm to take a quick. With a full head of steam nearing the leaders on the bottom lane, Chastain tried to shoot below fellow driver Ryan Preece with three laps remaining. And now, hes seemingly everywhere. 7 car, the second car for Premium Motorsports, at the Cup series season finale at Homestead, but the team withdrew. Crop insurance doesnt exist for watermelon farmers in Florida, Chastain said, and that has limited the number of production farms to less than 10. Years later, Chastain said that he initially made the move to BKR as an attempt to get in a Team Penske ride, but that BKR and Penske did not view the situation that way. Roush Fenway Racing tabbed Chastain to fill in behind the wheel of theNo. So then from there, we just wanted to do something, and I just held [a watermelon] at Vegas in my first NASCAR win. Trackhouse Racing driver Ross Chastain talks about the upcoming Chicago Street Race and going from a small . He also races at the top in the Cup Series. Connect with us here. Chastain after winning a Truck Series race at Pocono Raceway in July 2019. Not in farmer terms. In 2019, Chastain finished second in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship standings and won the most popular driver award. 15 car for his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series debut in the AAA 400 Drive for Autism at Dover,[28] an opportunity he initially resisted after being informed of the opportunity by Xfinity team owner Johnny Davis. Chastain ran his first full Cup season with Chip Ganassi Racing last year, then landed the second seat at Trackhouse when it bought Ganassi's NASCAR operation ahead of this season. Ten minutes later, he would make a wrap-it-up motion to end the interview. Ross Chastain started the NASCAR season with one watermelon and it traveled with him from track to track. It got close to ours and our neighbors, but we were safe.". "It kept me out of trouble," he said. It. in a play on the famous Nike slogan. ", Chastain in a TV interview after the race[47], After running a race with JD Motorsports at Indianapolis, Chastain returned to CGR for the DC Solar 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Chad Chastain Knew Brother Ross Could Be NASCAR - Frontstretch The two later had a shouting match and Gase was tackled by one of Chastain's crew members. [64], On May 10, 2019, Chastain won his first career NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series race in the 2019 Digital Ally 250 at Kansas Speedway. Gaughan initially avoided discussing the incident with reporters[26] but later boasted about the incident on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio and said that he received several text messages from fellow drivers who were happy about the incident. Do. Hurricane Ian Touches Down as Florida Native Ross Chastain Opens Up on He also has a particularly distinct celebration move: He smashes a watermelon on the start-finish line or in Victory Lane or sometimes both. [75], Chastain would earn his second top-five of 2019 when he finished second to Christopher Bell at Texas Motor Speedway in November, leading 29 laps. [2] His home track was Punta Gorda Speedway in Punta Gorda, Florida,[3] at age twelve, competing in both late model and Fastruck Series events. Rosss success didnt come easy. After clearing Finchum, Harvick slid up into Chastain who then slid up into the wall. Red Sox's Masataka Yoshida Has New Favorite Food, Bill Belichick Poses With Country Music Star Ahead Of Patriots Training Camp, Denny Hamlin After Controversial Win: They Can Boo My Rock Out Here, Kyle Larson Takes Shot At Denny Hamlin After Wreck: Dennys Always Right, Austin Dillon Fires Helmet At Tyler Reddick After NASCAR Wreck, Retire Or Continue Racing? This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity. Follow You know him as the watermelon man. While Chastain has been hard at work outside for the bulk of his time since the NASCAR season was suspended, he has had another role to fill behind the wheel. Ross Chastain on Twitter: "We just finished Georgia watermelon season Nicknamed The Watermelon Man, Melon Man, and NASCARs Busiest Driver, Ross signature move is smashing a watermelon from the top of his car at the end of a winning race and lately hes been smashing a lot. If you work in almost any other field of work and its outside, you wait until it stops, and you go. Chad Chastain is also the spotter for his brother; if hes at the track, their father cannot attend the race. [41] For the first race of the trio, Chastain held top-ten spots in both practices, finishing second in first practice. But I get tired of eating it, so Ill blend it up, make smoothies and juices. Watermelons harvest here in April - June Scott Henderson, Henderson Farms Wauchula, FL Scott Henderson is a third-generation farmer. In my dads words, this is the worst storm hes ever seen. [56] However, after DC Solar was raided by the FBI on December 18, 2018, the team lost the sponsorship and shut down in January.[57][58][59][60]. The real farmers. [77] Chastain also returned to the Cup Series at the Daytona 500 and Coca-Cola 600, driving the No. 44 Truck team's appeal post-Iowa", "Ross Chastain's Iowa disqualification upheld after appeal", "Ross Chastain comes back from Iowa DQ with win at Gateway", "Ross Chastain wins wild Daytona Xfinity race in Kaulig 1-2-3", "Allmendinger disqualified after third-place finish at Daytona", "NASCAR Pocono Truck race results: Ross Chastain cruises to third victory", "Justin Allgaier, Ross Chastain 'Rocky Relationship' Comes to a Peak at Watkins Glen", "CarShield to sponsor Ross Chastain throughout Truck playoffs", "Ross Chastain drives No. Chastain chalked his side of the incidents up to mistakes while Allgaier cited instances of Daytona earlier in 2018 and Las Vegas in 2018 as further dirty racing by Chastain. Hamlin said that he had "reached his peak" when referring to dealing with Chastain. The Board is not responsible for the quality, safety, completeness, accuracy or nature of the content of the linked website. From farm to track: Chastain puts watermelons in spotlight Chastains first victory in NASCAR competition came in 2018 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. finally got to climb atop a Cup car and spike a watermelon from the roof of his Chevrolet in victory celebration. "A lot of pole . Not as much, no. Where Your Watermelon Came From - The New York Times He bounced around the various smaller divisions of NASCAR and after losing his Xfinity series ride, he even debated calling his career quits in 2019. From farm to track: Chastain puts watermelons in spotlight From a watermelon farm in Alva to a winner in NASCAR's highest series Ross Chastain broke through Sunday after back-to-back second place finishes to win his first career race. NASCAR driver and Florida native Ross Chastain recently shared updates on the hurricane with Fox reporter Bob Pockrass. The farm is currently run by Chastains father, Ralph, and his brother, Chad. Really before that, 12 generations ago they were farming, but back then everybody farmed.
Clinton, Ct Property Records,
Ave Maria Faith Formation,
Articles W
