NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Trackhouse Racing has signed Ross Chastain as its second Cup Series driver in a multi-year deal announced Tuesday.
The 28-year-old Chastain currently drives the No. 42 Chevrolet for Chip Ganassi Racing. Trackhouse purchased the Ganassi operation in late June in a deal that takes effect at the end of this season and includes both of Ganassi’s Cup Series charters.
“It’s really indescribable what that means,” Chastain said. “It means the world.”
Trackhouse founder Justin Marks said Chastain will join the No. 99 Chevrolet driven by Daniel Suarez when Trackhouse expands to a two-car team next season. That leaves former Cup champion Kurt Busch, currently the driver of Ganassi’s No. 1, as a free agent in the hunt for a new ride.
Busch has 33 career wins, including the 2017 Daytona 500, and won the Cup Series title in 2004.
In his brief career of 101 races, Chastain drove for Premium Motorsports, Spire Motorsports, and Roush Fenway Racing before signing with Ganassi this season. In 22 Cup races this year, Chastain has two top-five finishes, including a runner-up finish at Nashville Superspeedway, and seven top 10s.
Marks has had a decade-long relationship with Chastain and said he’s been impressed.
“This is a great moment,” Marks said. “We’re trying to build something for the future. Ross is a young, aggressive driver that we believe has the talent to win races at the Cup Series level. We think his personality and work ethic will fit perfectly with Daniel as we build our organization for the 2022 season and beyond.”
Before his Cup Series career, Chastain had two career victories in the Xfinity Series and four wins in the Camping World Truck series.
Chastain, a native of Alva, Florida, earned the nickname “Melon Man” for his family’s endeavors in the watermelon farming business for eight generations, and he still works on the family’s land when his schedule permits.
Suarez will be doing double duty this weekend when the Cup series stops at Watkins Glen International’s speedy road course on Sunday. Suarez and Marks, an accomplished road racer, are entered in Saturday’s Trans Am TA2 Series race on the new Nashville street circuit, part of the inaugural Music City Grand Prix weekend.
Call it a prep for The Glen.
“Every advantage we can give Daniel in this era of no (Cup) practice, no qualifying races, is worth it,” Marks said. “By getting him a ride in the Music City GP, he’ll be able to take the flag at Watkins Glen coming right out of two days of competitive road racing in a similar vehicle. And it’ll be fun for us to race together, finally.”