NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Ty Norris has heard NASCAR fans both cheer and boo Ross Chastain, who seems to make more enemies by the race.
The president of Trackhouse Racing doesn't mind: Norris thinks NASCAR should have 40 other drivers just like his “ Melon Man.”
“Ross is a driver that has become comfortable in making other drivers uncomfortable," Norris said. “He doesn’t mind going three-wide. He doesn’t mind going up against the wall. He doesn’t mind poking his nose in there when he wants the space.”
That aggression has crossed a line at times for some. Chastain punched Noah Gragson after the race at Kansas earlier this year. Chastain also spun Chase Elliott, NASCAR's most popular driver the past five years, early in the final stage of last year's finale — costing Elliott a chance at a second title.
His on-track encounters are plentiful and that kind of driving and emotion from Chastain helps make NASCAR more interesting — even if others get ticked off. Norris made clear Chastain isn't out there simply to stir the pot; he's trying to win and compete for the Cup Series championship.
That competitive drive shows up every time Chastain gets behind the wheel.
"It shows up in, I think, in a very positive way,” Norris said.
Trackhouse Racing needs Chastain to start by winning his first race this season, which would lock him into the playoffs for a second straight year. He goes into Sunday's race at Nashville Superspeedway fourth in the Cup standings as the series resumes after the lone week off in the 38-race season. Only 32 points separate the top seven drivers.
Racing well at Nashville also means a bit more with Music City officially Trackhouse Racing's home base. Trackhouse will even have Taylor Lee, who competed on “The Voice," performing an acoustic set before the race at the team's haulers.
Chastain, who ran tire tests at Bristol Motor Speedway on Tuesday and Wednesday, doesn't see any added pressure competing at Nashville, where he finished fifth last year in a weather-delayed race. Winning is what matters most.
"It's about the end for us," Chastain said.
Trackhouse owner Justin Marks lives outside of Nashville and had set this year for his team to be operating in Music City. The shop remains in Charlotte, North Carolina, but the team's headquarters will move from a Nashville suburb to the middle of the downtown entertainment district at the end of this season.
The racing team also has continued a local tie-in to famed honkytonk Tootsie's Orchid Lounge, which will be all over Daniel Suarez's car again for Sunday night's race.
Only the fifth Cup Series winner born outside the United States, the Mexican driver also has yet to win this season and is three points out of the final playoff position with 10 races remaining as he tries to make the postseason for a second straight year. Suarez finished seventh at the 1.33-mile track in Lebanon, Tennessee, in 2021 when it hosted the first Cup Series race in 37 years.
Norris said Trackhouse employees understand Nashville means a bit more than just the start of the push to the playoffs.
“I feel as if they put in just a few extra hours, a little bit extra care to make sure that everything that they can do positively to affect the outcome of this race,” Norris said.
NBC takes over coverage down the stretch of the NASCAR season, and Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. said it's been a great season with lots of storylines. A year ago, it was the Next Gen car debut creating challenges and problems for teams.
This year, the drama comes from drivers disagreeing on the track.
“It’s been a fascinating year,” Earnhardt said. “I’m sure that that is going to, as it does every year, kind of crescendo and build as we get closer to the playoffs. The pressure will mount. The risk taking will increase. The excitement that that creates for us will be plentiful.”
Norris worked for Dale Earnhardt Inc. and recalled an event with the late Dale Earnhardt noting fans split 50-50 between cheers and boos. Norris isn't comparing the “Melon Man” to “The Intimidator,” but he noted his former boss told him that even the fans who hated him still loved him as a driver.
Chastain's challenge is winning more races and an elusive Cup title. So far, his best Cup Series season finish came last year when he finished second to Joey Logano.
Until then, Chastain certainly isn't boring.
“What I will say is Ross is probably the closest to old school racing that we’ve seen come along,” Norris said.
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