Ross Chastain has found a home for next season. Trackhouse Racing announced Tuesday that Chastain will drive the No. 1 Chevy the team will add starting next season. He will join current driver Daniel Suárez as the first year Trackhouse organization expands into a two-car team in 2022.
Trackhouse acquired the assets of Chip Ganassi Racing in June. Ganassi will be leaving NASCAR to focus on other forms of motorsports; something team owner Chip Ganassi had not thought about until an offer came from Trackhouse owner Justin Marks. The Ganassi assets, which include a charter, allowed the team to add second car, and give Ganassi driver Chastain a seat. Marks said Tuesday that the contract with Chastain is a multi-year deal.
“Ross is a young, aggressive driver that we believe has the talent to win races at the Cup Series level,” said Marks. “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 scored two career victories in the Xfinity series (Las Vegas Motor Speedway in 2018 and Daytona International Speedway in 2019) and four wins in the Camping World Truck series.
In a Cup career spanning 101 starts, Chastain has driven for Premium Motorsports, Spire Motorsports, and Roush Fenway Racing before he was signed to a full-time ride driving the No. 42 Camaro with Chip Ganassi Racing in 2021. In 22 races this season, driving what is considered the best ride so far in his young career, Chastain has posted two top-five finishes, including a runner-up finish at Nashville (Tenn.) Superspeedway, and seven top 10s.
“This is another dream come true for me,” said Chastain. “Trackhouse is one of the most interesting organizations in the garage. The enthusiasm they bring off the track and the program they are building on the track is exciting. Working with Daniel and Justin, however I can, is my number one priority. I know that I can help build our Chevrolets to be as strong as possible.”
With the acquisition of Ganassi and all its assets, Trackhouse will move its operations in to the shop the Ganassi team now occupies.
The remaining Chip Ganassi driver, Kurt Busch, is expected to find a seat with another first-year team, 23XI Racing co-owned by Denny Hamlin and Michael Jordan, as that team expands to a two-car operation in 2022.
Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.
- Biffle, Dorton, Sprague join NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2025 nominees for the first time - April 24, 2024
- NASCAR will experiment with different tire compounds for the first time at All-Star Race - April 23, 2024
- Legacy Motor Club reserve driver Corey Heim to sub for Erik Jones at Dover - April 23, 2024