Ross Chastain - North Carolina Education Lottery 200 Race Recap
Event: North Carolina Education Lottery 200 (134 laps / 201 miles)
Round: 10 of 25 (Regular Season)
Track: Charlotte Motor Speedway
Location: Concord, North Carolina
Date & Time: Sunday, May 24 | 10:00 AM ET
No. 45 Protect Your Melon North Carolina Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Ross Chastain | Crew Chief: Phil Gould
Start: 14th | Stage 1: 11th | Stage 2: 3rd
Finish: 29th | Driver Points: N/A | Owner Points: 8th
- Key Takeaway: Ross Chastain and the Protect Your Melon team contended for the race win in Charlotte, but unfortunately were not able to finish. Chastain started mid-pack, but it did not take him long to find the leaders. Noting a tight-handling truck, the team made adjustments to free Chastain up in the second stage where he moved up to third. After making contact with another competitor on the backstretch, Chastain’s right front tire deflated and prompted him to lose track position in the final stage. Through strategy, the No. 45 made it back into the top-five once again, but the battery became disconnected in the closing laps of the race. With too little time to change it out, the team was done for the day in 29th-place.
- Ross Chastain’s Post-Race Thoughts:
Interviewer: Ross, I know it wasn’t the finish you wanted out there, but your truck looked good for a little bit out there. How did it feel out there today?
“Yeah, I took the left front fender in at the start of the race, and that pretty much set the tone for the rest of the day. I knocked the right front off and the right rear quarter panel. We were still fast enough to compete, but that was just a very sloppy day on my part. I took a truck that could have won and knocked the fenders off it. Our Protect Your Melon Silverado was fast, but it just wasn’t meant to be. Huge thanks to all of the No. 45 guys for bringing us a great truck today.”
About Niece Motorsports: Niece Motorsports is a professional auto racing team that has competed in the NASCAR CRAFTSMAN Truck Series since 2016. The team is owned by Josh Morris of DQS Solutions and Staffing and the Fowler Family of J.F. Electric and Utilitra, and was founded by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. At its 80,000 sq. ft. headquarters in Salisbury, NC, Niece Motorsports is a full-service race vehicle build shop as well as a customizable fabrication shop for any manufacturing needs.
Follow the Team: To keep up to date with the latest team news, visit niecemotorsports.com or connect on Facebook and Instagram (@NieceMotorsports) as well as X (@NieceMotorsport).
About the North Carolina Governor's Office of Highway Safety: Dedicated to reducing the numbers of traffic crashes and fatalities in North Carolina, the Governor’s Highway Safety Program promotes efforts to reduce traffic crashes in North Carolina and promotes highway safety awareness through a variety of grants and safe-driving initiatives.
