Maybe extra spectacular than Ross Chastain driving from final to first to win the Coca-Cola 600 was the work his workforce needed to put in simply get the race-winning automobile ready on Sunday.
Chastain crashed as a result of a tire failure in follow, forcing the Trackhouse Racing Group to scramble as they ready the backup automobile. The automobile was meant to be a backup for subsequent weekend’s race at Nashville and plenty of modified wanted to be and in a single day. Crew chief Phil Surgen admitted to solely sleeping for about “two-and-a-half hours” earlier than the marathon race on Sunday.Â
Chastain himself stayed with the workforce till round 10pm on Saturday when Trackhouse competitors director Tony Lunders was “actually pushing me out, saying, ‘go residence, fall asleep, I would like you to be prepared tomorrow night time.'”
Whereas Chastain lastly went residence to relaxation, the workforce remained, burning the midnight oil as they ready the automobile that might finally win NASCAR’s longest race. However earlier than they may even get to work on that. practically 90 minutes have been spent on the first automobile earlier than they realized they weren’t going to have the ability to repair it.
“As we begin pulling elements off, it simply grew to become extra evident that there was a piece of the rear body that was bent most likely past restore,” defined Surgen [Chastain’s crew chief]. “Then at that second it grew to become a necessity to go to a backup automobile.
“Sadly, that was most likely an hour or an hour and a half after we bought to the storage and had already began engaged on repairing the first automobile. Though it took a very long time to establish, by the point we bought all of the elements and the automobile disassembled to the purpose the place we might absolutely see all of the injury, it was evident we wanted to return to the automobile.”
Individuals dropped all the pieces to come back and assist
Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Photograph by: Logan Riely / Getty Photos
Surgen additionally defined the way it was a complete workforce effort ultimately as round 30 individuals got here in to assist after taking the backup automobile again to the race store.
“We had clearly all of the street crew that was on the monitor was there. We had engine help from ECR. We had store guys that have been at concert events and ball video games and all the pieces that simply dropped what they have been doing, got here to the store,” revealed Surgen.
“Like I stated, most likely 30 individuals there at 8:30pm (Saturday) night time. Because the night time wore on and completely different phases of the method form of developed, we despatched a few of these guys residence, and the final of us, there have been most likely eight or ten of us that left at 2:30am final night time. The primary guys bought again there at 5:30am.”
What wanted to be accomplished
Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Photograph by: Logan Riely / Getty Photos
However what truly wanted to be accomplished with a view to get the backup automobile race-ready? Surgen stated they started with a “absolutely assembled automobile” but it surely had no engine in it. There have been numerous different adjustments wanted to get it prepared for 600 miles at Charlotte when it was solely meant for a 400-mile race at Nashville.
“Once we bought there, there was definitely a ton of labor to do. We put a very good little bit of inside in it. We modified the transaxle. We had to make use of the engine from the first automobile that was on the racetrack. Then there’s the wrap, closing set on suspension, closing set on the physique, after which closing scale and such, all these last-minute changes. Variety of hours, it is arduous to say. Like I discussed earlier to the gentleman over there, we had 30 individuals working there for some time, and into the night time that dwindled all the way down to perhaps ten. You recognize, it was a ton of man hours within the final 36 hours that went into the automobile we had right now.
Group proprietor Justin Marks praises the outstanding effort
Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet
Photograph by: David Jensen / Getty Photos
Group proprietor Justin Marks was shocked by the hassle by each driver and workforce as they celebrated their first win of the 2025 season.
“This weekend I believe was a grasp class in by no means giving up and grinding,” stated Marks. “It wasn’t simply the #1 Group that constructed that automobile final night time. It was individuals from all corners of the group that stated, I will drop what I am doing and drive to the store and assist, as a result of we have all been working so arduous the final month, month and a half to form of flip this workforce round
“I stood in entrance of everyone at this group the primary day that I took possession of it again on the finish of 2021, and I stated, you recognize, Now we have all the pieces that we must be profitable right here. We simply must work collectively. Now we have to imagine in one another, and we now have to basically imagine that we are able to do it, that we are able to go win huge races and contend for championships. If we help one another and go the additional mile and do no matter it takes, then we are able to get there.
“I believe this weekend was an exquisite expression of that, and I’m so — I do not wish to sound romantic, however I’m simply so unbelievably pleased with everyone as a result of what they did this weekend was very, very, very tough. It was actually a workforce win. Placing a race automobile collectively — constructing a race automobile final night time, bringing it to the racetrack, beginning final, making good adjustments, good pit stops, good technique, and simply placing it on the shoulders of our superb race automobile driver, Ross Chastain, to punch it into victory lane. It is unbelievable.”
Learn Additionally:
On this article
Nick DeGroot
NASCAR Cup
Ross Chastain
Trackhouse Racing Group
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