“It really doesn’t make sense”: Ross Chastain opens up about his ‘unbelievable’ Charlotte comeback despite worst beginning

On Sunday night (May 25), Ross Chastain became the first driver in over 50 years to start a race last and win it. The Trackhouse Racing driver is now in the playoffs, with his eyes on the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series championship.

Chastain’s story during this year’s Coca-Cola 600 was one of sheer perseverance and teamwork. He led only eight laps throughout the race, unlike William Byron, who swept all three stages, leading a race-high 284 laps. But in the end, leading those eight laps brought Chastain the victory.

The results seemed unbelievable. Reflecting on the same during a post-race interview with SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, the Alva, Florida native explained,

“To stand here in victory lane now, with this big ring, this Busch Light (beer), a big slice of watermelon that I just ate...it's unbelievable. It really doesn't make sense that we were able to drive up and pass two cars that were way better than us all night.”

Chastain was in a backup car when he passed the Hendrick Motorsports ace for the lead on Lap 395, en route to his maiden win of the 2026 season, sixth all-time and first crown jewel win of his career. Lauding crew chief Phil Surgen for his efforts, the Chevy icon said,

“On the last run, Phil Surgen finally nailed the balance. It's the first time all night I said, 'You nailed it'.”

Ross Chastain is now eighth in the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series standings with three top-fives, seven top-10s, and 350 points to his name. William Byron, on the other hand, tops the leaderboard with 499 points.

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“That was unfortunate”- Ross Chastain reflects on stopping a fan from stealing his race-winning hat

Like every time, Ross Chastain celebrated his victory by smashing a watermelon on the racetrack and later taking a bite. He then brought his car back to pit road. That’s when a fan approached the driver and did something that was totally unexpected.

In an act of congratulating Chastain, the fan grabbed his ‘47 Brand Jockey hat and proceeded to flee. During his post-race interview at Charlotte, Chastain said he got it back eventually and explained why that hat meant so much to him.

“I didn’t know him and he just like grabbed my head and I thought, oh, he’s just saying, ‘Good job, buddy.’ Then, he just pulled the hat and did this little dance and said, ‘I got your hat. I got your hat.’ I was like, ‘Give it back.’ He ran away and I just shut the car off, pointed to NASCAR security.”

“That’s my winning hat. It rode in the car…that’s the hat and I’ll put it on the shelf. It means a lot to me, and I’m not gonna give that away,” he added.

Ross Chastain will now prepare for next week’s race at Nashville Superspeedway. Named Cracker Barrel 400, the 300-lap event will stream live on Amazon Prime with radio coverage on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, 7 pm ET onwards. Reigning series champion Joey Logano happens to be the defending winner at the 1.330-mile, tri-oval intermediate speedway.