Ross Chastain Iowa Post-Race Report

Ross Chastain (@RossChastain), driver of the No. 19 Checkered Flag Foundation (@BKCFF) Ford F-150, started out front in Sunday afternoon’s Fan Appreciation 200 Presented by New Holland at Iowa Speedway for Brad Keselowski Racing (BKR).  Chastain claimed his first career pole on Saturday evening.

 

It was a record setting weekend for Chastain who got off to a hot start, leading the first ­­­­­­­­37 laps before coming in to under caution for an air pressure adjustment, four tires and fuel. Chastain restarted in the fourth position once the field came back to the green on lap 41.

 

Chastain quickly regained the top spot by lap 55, inching and inching away at the lead ever so smoothly. Crew chief, Chad Kendrick, continued to supply the young BKR driver with confidence letting him know to keep focus and hit his marks and that the No. 19 BKR team would do everything it could on pit road for the driver when it was time to come in again.

 

On lap 122, under green and in the lead position, Chastain brought his No. 19 F-150 in for four tires and fuel, exiting pit road in the 16th spot.

 

The yellow flew again on lap 134 for debris on the backstretch. Kendrick advised Chastain to stay out and give it all he had since he would have first selection of lane to choose on the restart. Chastain selected the bottom line and lost the top spot to the No. 17 once the field came back around after fighting extremely hard coming off of turn three.

 

With 13 laps to go, the No. 4 and No. 33 Trucks made contact and caused a caution. On the next restart, Chastain started on the inside of teammate Ryan Blaney who managed to take the lead away from the No. 19 BKR driver, but with another caution falling shortly after, Chastain found himself restarting from the point position once again.

 

Chastain gave it all he had, but was unable to come out on top after leading a race-high 116 laps and finishing a NASCAR career best second.

 

The No. 19 BKR team currently sits fourth in the NCWTS owner points standings, 55 points back from first.

 

 

“I’ll tell you what, that was the best Truck I’ve ever driven and I want to thank everyone at Brad Keselowski Racing for the opportunity to drive something as special as that today. We had a shot and I gave it everything I had, but unfortunately we came up one spot short. I am looking forward to my next opportunity at Las Vegas.” – Ross Chastain

 

BKR PR