Get to Know NASCAR’s Watermelon Man Ross Chastain

After he gained the Coca-Cola 600 on Memorial Day weekend, Ross Chastain climbed atop his number 1 Chevy holding a watermelon aloft. He then smashed it on the asphalt, grabbed a bit and took a giant, messy chew earlier than submitting to a postrace interview. The juicy celebration is a practice for the 32-year-old Chastain, who hails from a household of Florida watermelon farmers, and was headed towards changing into one himself earlier than he determined in 2012 to pursue a profession in NASCAR.

However Chastain just isn’t merely a small-town man. At the moment twelfth within the factors standings, he’s been an everyday on the Cup circuit since 2018, profitable six races and establishing himself as one of the vital daring drivers within the sport. In 2022, he completed second within the ultimate standings after catapulting himself into Cup rivalry at Martinsville in October with a transfer so audacious it turned referred to as the Hail Melon—and has since been outlawed by NASCAR. Running in 10th place on the final lap of the race, he put the pedal to the floor entering Turn 3. Whereas his opponents slowed to take the nook at round 70 mph, Chastain flew previous them—and into the surface wall—130. By the point he exited Flip 4, he had moved as much as fifth place, qualifying for a spot within the Championship 4.

Just lately, Sports activities Illustrated took just a few moments to speak with one in every of NASCAR’s watermelon man about his profession within the sport and his life past the monitor.

The next interview has been calmly edited for size and readability.

Sports activities Illustrated: What was your Welcome to Racing second?

Ross Chastain: Oh, gosh. In my very first race, I hit the wall. I got here off Flip 2, obtained free, slid up, and actually overcorrected and hit the appropriate entrance nook of the race automotive into the wall, they usually needed to tow me off. The bumper was pushed into the tire, so my dad took a series and a four-wheeler, and we pulled it out, nonetheless hooked to the wrecker. And he requested if I wished to return out, and I mentioned, yeah. I used to be 12 years previous and wasn’t scared. So, I did end my first race, nevertheless it wasn’t with out some wall contact. 

SI: What sort of race automotive was that? 

RC: That was a Monte Carlo. It was 2005, and it was at a monitor in Florida known as Punta Gorda Speedway—it ended its life as 4–17 Southern Speedway. And it was a three-eighths mile, asphalt monitor.

SI: What number of generations of your loved ones have been farming watermelons in Florida?

RC: My great-granddad moved the household south within the ’50s. So, when my grandfather graduated highschool, he was trying and had some plans and had made just a few journeys down. He ended up in Punta Gorda, within the Port Charlotte space. And he began searching for an earlier crop. He had achieved watermelons and candy potatoes in Georgia, and it simply was not a very good life. And he’d heard about and seen the sooner watermelon crop and the costs that the Florida farmers had been getting as a result of they had been the primary home watermelons. They had been developing and promoting them in Atlanta, and our household was in Thomasville—Ochlocknee—which is in South Georgia, west of I-75. And so, when my granddad graduated highschool, the household went south and that’s when the farming turns into the great previous days, I suppose I’ll say. It wasn’t immediately, however my grandfather, after which my dad, constructed it right into a profitable farming operation. Earlier than that, from what I can inform, it was not an incredible life in Georgia.

SI: Did you’re employed on the farm as a child?

RC: I don’t know what it was like for different youngsters rising up on farms. We lived nearer to city, and the farm was extra out of city, and that was the place we commercially grew watermelons. It wasn’t in our yard; it wasn’t by any means. So someway, my dad and mother made it the place it was each a reward to go to the farm and, if one thing was mistaken, a punishment. So, I keep in mind being informed to get on the tractor and never get off till they got here and picked us up. And we had Nextel walkie-talkies for telephones, and I simply keep in mind looking at that factor hoping Dad can be like, “Hey, all proper, convey the tractor again up right here.” And it’d be getting late, darkish, and I obtained college the subsequent day.

And generally it was a reward. I keep in mind being actual younger and Dad and I would go away for varsity. I’d be in my uniform. We might flip left on the finish of our street as a substitute of proper to go to city—to go additional into city to high school. However generally we’d flip proper and … what had been we doing? “Oh, we’re not going to high school immediately. Let’s go to the farm.” So, man, that meant breakfast after which a day on the farm with Dad. I don’t know the way a lot Mother knew about that. However, yeah, it was each a penalty and a reward.

SI: Your dad used to race as a passion. What about it fascinated you a lot and made you need to attempt it?

RC: I simply wished to be like my dad. Within the discipline, it’s sugar sand, so it’s such as you depart a print all over the place you stroll; each tire that rolls by means of, a tractor or truck leaves a path, leaves a tire monitor or a footprint—a boot print in my dad’s case. So, I’d attempt to stroll in these as an actual younger child, and I simply keep in mind that. After which seeing my dad race, I wished to. I’d go along with him, and he would sneak me into the pits, after which make me keep contained in the truck or sit on the roof of his pickup truck. After which some buddies would watch with me, or my mother can be there watching with me. And yeah, I simply wished to be like him. We had been informal race followers and we watched on Sundays.

SI: What was he racing?

RC: These Monte Carlos. FASTRUCK, that was the collection. A man named Bobby Diehl had a collection, they usually traveled to completely different tracks. After which they began a child class, the place Mark Martin’s son Matt, Mike Skinner’s son, after which a bunch of native youngsters and sons of racers raced in it. It may very well be 12 to 17. My dad obtained me in that once I was 12 years previous. And that is what he had raced. He had rented his first race truck, after which ultimately purchased one. And my uncle Doug and his buddy Dennis, all of them obtained vans and traveled round racing collectively. 

SI: Have been you hooked immediately?

RC: Even the primary time I drove the truck round or packing home, I used to be hooked. And I keep in mind dreaming about racing it and having to attend on the subsequent race a few weeks away. Yeah, hooked is an understatement. It was all I may take into consideration.

SI: So, how dedicated to varsity had been you if you spent a semester at Florida Gulf Coast College? Have been you planning to check something? Or had been you excited about driving even then?

RC: I used to be positively excited about driving, however had no plans by means of highschool. I had no intentions of NASCAR. I used to be racing domestically, after which senior yr [2011], we went over and raced within the World Collection of Asphalt, at New Smyrna, and we gained the Restricted Late Mannequin division in January or early February, and that type of made us notice we’d gained all the things we thought we may win in Florida. The following step was tremendous late fashions and that expense was going to be large. And then you definately’re going to want to journey to actually do it proper. So, we had been taking a look at that and the price versus a restricted late mannequin, and it simply appeared loopy.

After which my dad requested me someday about driving one truck race as a substitute of doing all of the tremendous racing. We had first talked about shopping for a truck and doing that, and I didn’t actually assume that was the best way to go. I simply didn’t assume we’d ever be aggressive. On the time, RCR had a truck group, Turner was a giant group, Pink Horse was profitable races, Germain. So, I had checked out all these groups on-line and simply didn’t assume that some farmers out of Florida—I truthfully simply didn’t assume we may compete and even make the race. So, we determined to do one race in July of 2011, proper as I graduated highschool.

I had full intentions of going to varsity, and my dad thought—and I agreed—{that a} diploma would serve the farm finest down the street. You simply didn’t know the place the world was going. I believed that having a level would assist the farm down the street. It was all for the farm. It was all to go to work on the farm and take it, develop it, to the subsequent degree. And I did my first semester and, truthfully, I used to be extra into that, extra concerned, and simply mentally and bodily confirmed up extra that semester than I ever did in highschool. And my second semester was two weeks in after we made the choice to go full-time racing within the truck collection in 2012. So, I submitted all the things to FGCU and to the council group and made my case for why I believed I ought to be capable to pause all my scholarships. I had put collectively a number of small scholarships and had all the things paid for besides room and board. I lived at residence; it was a 45-minute drive down there.

And so they gave me 4 years. They gave me 4 years to come back again, and I’ve really seen a few of them since then. I noticed one of many guys on the monitor lately and we laughed about it, that we predict it labored out that I by no means went again.

SI: Is that what prompted your transfer to Charlotte? 

RC: I used to be all in, and if I used to be gonna do a job and go make something a hit, I wanted to be there in particular person. I am a giant believer that you simply’ve obtained to be face-to-face with individuals, to have the appropriate conversations, to point out that you simply’re doing the work, and to see that the work on the time—we had been sponsoring the truck ourselves— that the work was getting achieved and that I may be taught. So, moved as much as Bobby Dotter’s store, SS–Inexperienced Mild was the group, and drove the 08 truck that yr. And, yeah, simply wanted to be there and be all in.

SI: What recommendation do you have got for younger drivers on the market who need to do what you do?

RC: I feel if you’re racing domestically, simply preserve racing. Race native and attempt to win at your monitor earlier than you progress up. Successful is a novel factor, and it’s so powerful. My residence monitor is gone now, but when it was nonetheless a factor, the blokes that raced there each week would beat me. And I went again and raced [at Punta Gorda] after I used to be within the truck collection and I obtained beat. And I nonetheless get beat once I go to quick tracks. So, hone your craft at your monitor, no matter you’re racing, and it doesn’t should be that it’s important to journey throughout the nation. The grass just isn’t at all times greener on the opposite aspect of the nation to race, a late mannequin or a dash automotive. Race domestically and win, after which go race some other place should you assume that you must do this. However, on prime of that, simply transfer up. No matter class you’re in, should you win in it, transfer up. I didn’t win rather a lot as a result of I used to be ascending from quick youngsters to quick vans to late fashions, and I misplaced each late mannequin race at my residence monitor. I by no means gained one within the massive late mannequin class.

Simply preserve shifting up, after which should you’re going to take a look at the game of NASCAR, get able to promote sponsorship. It’s all about funding it. It takes cash to do it, and it’s not a nasty factor.
Have a very good perspective and encompass your self with good individuals. And should you go to work forward of time, get the sponsorship, then the on-track stuff simply comes with it. And then you definately get to go race. So, I’ve been a Ross Chastain salesman far more days in my life than I’ve been a race automotive driver.

SI: Your loved ones’s enterprise sponsored a few of your first rides in NASCAR. How vital are these ties to you now?

RC: Each driver in NASCAR pays to play. It’s not a nasty factor. It’s not a dig on us. All people introduced sponsorship, from the largest names which are multigeneration drivers. They’re households have made a profession out of driving they usually cross that down and set it up for the subsequent technology. These guys needed to put collectively the funding, and so did I. So, sure, you noticed watermelons early on as a result of these are the people who knew me. No person else on the earth knew who Ross Chastain was, however watermelon individuals did. Agriculture individuals did. And so they knew my dad and granddad and wished to be part of it. Some thought it was cool. Some wished it for the enterprise side. And it fluctuated. After which my efficiency on the monitor was a direct results of how a lot sponsorship we put collectively. So, it positively was a watermelon-based entry for lots of years, and that’s why you see me nonetheless involving the ag trade, and speaking about it, and smashing watermelons after the races is as a result of I need to shine a vivid mild on ag. It’s achieved all the things for my household and me. I’m proud to be a farmer and pleased with the place it obtained me within the sport.

SI: Are you able to clarify the physics of your Hail Melon transfer at Martinsville in 2022? It doesn’t make complete sense which you can drive into the surface wall and zoom previous guys.

RC: I don’t assume I can. I don’t perceive the physics of it. I don’t. It doesn’t make sense. What allowed that to occur I’ll by no means really perceive. However much more now, I don’t perceive why I believed it will work on the time. And what’s scary to me is, down the backstretch, I had little question. I believed, Sure, do it, and it is gonna work! And I used to be prepared to threat it. And it destroyed the automotive. The automotive is ok now—it’s in our foyer now at Trackhouse—however, man, it was a large crash. But it surely completed a giant bang in getting us to Phoenix.

SI: Principally, I suppose, the purpose was to drive into the nook as quick as you would and attempt to get previous individuals. Was hitting the wall one thing that may not have occurred.

RC: No, I knew my complete intention once I took the white flag was to enter Flip 3 and simply let the wall maintain me and simply see if I may go across the nook sooner. I had no idea that it will go sooner than anyone in a Cup automotive has ever gone there. Destroyed the automotive, however handed 5 vehicles and made Phoenix, so positively was effectively value it. However, yeah, undecided why I did it.

SI: Most individuals go into corners at Martinsville someplace within the 60 mph vary. However you had been getting into there at like 130 mph.

RC: Sure, and that’s why they outlawed the transfer. It was such a distinction in pace that if any individual spun out, I’d have by no means been capable of cease in. We’ve obtained such secure vehicles. 
Now, it’s at all times harmful, however I’ve full confidence within the automotive and within the partitions. However the different vehicles—if somebody spun out again within the wall, and right here I come, such as you mentioned, at 140 mph, and everyone else goes 70. They fly to a cease. I may have by no means gotten stopped in time. In order that’s why NASCAR outlawed it. I’m good with it. I’m the one one who’s ever achieved it efficiently. Others have tried. I’ve watched it. I’ve watched different guys in Xfinity do it at Darlington and it didn’t work. So, I’m glad to be the one which did it.

SI: It’s a gutsy transfer. What produce other drivers mentioned to you about it?

RC: They’re all biased. In my view, it relied on if it harm them or helped them. However they didn’t need me to do it. I imply, a pair, you already know, fist-bumped me after and had been like enthusiastic about it, that one thing new had been achieved. However we’re additionally blissful that it obtained outlawed. I imply, we’re all opponents, so that they’re not going to get too blissful for me.

SI: Do you have got a favourite monitor?

RC: If I needed to choose a favourite, I’d say Darlington, for certain. I identical to the individuality of it, the 2 ends are completely different and asphalt appears to age fairly shortly there.

SI: Your victory within the Coke 600 this yr, if you went from final to first, was an incredible win for you. William Byron led virtually the entire manner, however close to the end, you passing him virtually appeared inevitable. What occurred there?

RC: We had been simply higher. We labored along with Chevy to construct our setups. William had achieved the check there, and we picked out the perfect issues we thought from the check and we had been actually good on Saturday after which crashed, blew a tire in apply. So, we needed to come from the again, and it took all 600 miles. We would not have gained if not for it being the longest race of the season. And also you say inevitable, I say powerful. It was powerful to get by him. He was doing an incredible job of blocking me. 

SI: Is there a favourite manner you prefer to eat it or put together watermelon?

RC: Straight out of the sphere. Minimize it off the vine, lower it open proper there on the bottom and eat it—simply lower the center out of it and eat it proper there with my knife. I’ll eat it any manner that individuals put together it. However for me? Good out of the sphere on a sizzling day, and it’s been sitting on the market rising. Fairly easy.