"I thought it was 200 wrecked opponents" - Ross Chastain gets hilariously roasted by pit crew for 200th NASCAR Cup start

With Trackhouse Racing star Ross Chastain set to make his 200th NASCAR Cup Series start, the No. 1 Chevrolet pit crew had a hilarious way of commemorating the 31-year-old driver.

Making his full-time Cup debut in the 2018 season, Ross Chastain, affectionately known as "Watermelon Man," competed at the highest level of stock car racing, driving for Premium Motorsports for two consecutive seasons. However, Chastain failed to secure a full-time ride in 2020, making select appearances for Spire and Roush Fenway Racing across the season.

A full seasons with Chip Ganassi Racing in 2021 was followed by Chastain's high-profile move to the up-and-coming outfit, Trackhouse Racing. In his debut season for Justin Marks' team, Ross Chastain, piloting the No. 1 Chevrolet, made it all the way to the Cup Series Championship 4 field, only missing out on the title by a razor-thin margin to Joey Logano.

A runner-up finish in 2022 was followed by yet another successful campaign last year, which saw Chastain qualify for the playoffs for a second season in a row. He even won the season-finale race in Phoenix to end the season on a high.

Now in his sixth full-time campaign in the Cup Series, Ross Chastain is set to hit another career milestone. When racing at Darlington Raceway in the 13th race of the season, the No. 1 Chevy driver will start his 200th Cup Series race.

In order to commemorate this achievement, Trackhouse Racing's No. 1 team laid out a hilarious idea, wherein every crew member roasted their driver in some form. Fueler Brook Davenport quipped:

"Hey Ross, congrats on 200 starts. Though I thought it was 200 wrecked opponents."

The good-natured ribbing continued as tire carrier Matthew Simmons joked:

"Congrats on 200 starts. Good thing Chad's back at the farm, keeping it in order, so that you can be mediocre in this race car."

Meanwhile, jackman Shane Wilson added:

"Congrats on 200 starts. We wish it was 200 finishes. But good job on the 200 starts."

Front tire changer Michael Roberts joined in on the banter, teasing:

"Congrats on 200 starts. To me that sounds like a lot of trips down the pit lane and you still haven't figured out how to put it straight in the pit box yet."

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Ross Chastain belives it's a "really good time" to be a NASCAR fan

Despite the jests from his pit crew, Chastain remains focused on the task at hand, embracing the challenges that lie ahead in the remainder of the NASCAR season. With races at venues such as Darlington, North Wilkesboro Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway on the horizon, Chastain believes it's an exciting time for NASCAR fans and competitors alike. He told NASCAR.com:

"That’s what the Cup Series is. That’s why it’s been so successful for so long. You have these moments where two of the best drivers in the sport right now go for the win and put on a heck of a show. I think it was a great race across the board from when I was up there earlier in the race and then we slipped back and other people went forward."

He added:

"It’s really a good time to be watching Cup racing in NASCAR and even better time for me to be in it."

After 12 races in the 2024 season, Ross Chastain is ranked 10th in the NASCAR Cup Series standings. He has 331 points to his name.