"He jerks it off my head": Ross Chastain reveals wild fan moment about 'winning hat' following his Coca-Cola 600 win

Ross Chastain had every reason to celebrate after an unforgettable drive from 40th to 1st in the 2025 Coca-Cola 600. But amid the post-race jubilation at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the Trackhouse Racing driver was caught off guard when a fan unexpectedly snatched the Jockey-branded hat right off his head.

The incident, captured on his in-car camera, briefly disrupted a career-defining moment for Chastain. He became the first driver since 1969 to win the race after starting from the final position. After a resilient performance in NASCAR's longest and most grueling race, he performed burnouts on the frontstretch and a trademark watermelon smash.

Speaking to SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90), Chastain explained how his stroll to Victory Lane turned out:

"Justin Marks and I had an incredible moment where we found each other before Victory Lane and as he gets out of the window, somebody else is screaming and happy and I didn't really pay attention to who it was and then I feel them grabbing the top of my head... and he kind of started pulling it off my head and I said no and I grabbed the bill of it to pull it back down and he jerks it off my head and out of my hand and I was like that's not going to happen."

Ross Chastain led just eight laps to take home the checkered flag in the Coca-Cola 600, but he almost lost his winning hat. The incident occurred just after his usual celebratory rituals of smashing a watermelon on the pavement, a nod to his family's farming background.

While he approached the Victory Lane for photos, a fan broke protocol and reached into the window of the No. 1 Chevrolet. Startled and initially unsure who it was, Chastain reacted instinctively, holding on to the hat before the fan managed to pull it away and run.

The bizarre encounter saw NASCAR officials and security stepping in quickly. Chastain, still strapped into the car, called out to get the hat back, and thankfully, help arrived in the form of Trackhouse Racing's competition director Tony Lunders.

"I think he dropped his own hat and I could see him talking to (security). And then I see Tony Lunders walk up and snatch it out of the guy's hand and bring it back to me. So, it was very odd. I do think that I do think the guy was not thinking clearly, he had a good day of partying," added Chastain (0:54 onwards).

The person was taken away by security. For Ross Chastain, it wasn't just a branded cap but a part of the journey and a souvenir of the night he cemented his spot in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.

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Ross Chastain makes history from the back of the field at Charlotte

Ross Chastain (1) receives a ring and a watch from track president Marcus Smith. Source: Imagn

Sunday's victory at Charlotte was more than just a win for Ross Chastain. He led the final six laps of the Coca-Cola 600, but they were the ones that mattered most. William Byron dominated the first three stages, leading 283 laps, yet in the final stint, it was the Trackhouse No. 1 driver's charge that stole the win.

Chastain secured the sixth Cup Series win of his career and his first since Nashville in 2023. In doing so, he became the first driver since Bobby Allison in 1969 to win the Coca-Cola 600 after starting from the last position. But the night's numbers were just as striking. Despite having the 30th-best average starting position (25.0) this season, Chastain's average finish ranks 5th overall (12.9).

A NASCAR Insights update on X after the race highlighted a remarkable trend:

That 12.1-position improvement per race is the best among all 36 full-time drivers, a staggering indicator of his ability to transform challenging Saturdays into stellar Sundays. While racers like Ricky Stenhouse Jr. show similar trends (25.0 average starts and 12.9 finish), none have been more consistent than Ross Chastain at making up ground when it counts.

With 13 regular-season races remaining, the No. 1 Trackhouse team is shaping up as a serious contender as NASCAR heads to Nashville Superspeedway for the Cracker Barrel 400 this weekend.