Ross Chastain Cuts Tire, Crashes After Leading Coke 600 Practice Averages

“Ross Chastain cuts tire, crashes after leading Coke 600 practice averages”

Ross Chastain completed second in Friday evening’s NASCAR Truck race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and when the Cup automobiles went out on the observe for Coca-Cola 600 observe, he was once more very quick.

Timing in ninth general on the time sheets, Chastain was exhibiting spectacular long-run velocity within the No. 1 Chevrolet. He led all drivers within the 10-lap, 15-lap, and 20-lap averages. Sadly, after 20 laps on observe, catastrophe struck as he lower a left-rear tire taking place the backstretch. The automobile spun out in Flip 3 and Chastain hit the skin wall with the driver-side door. The automobile got here to a relaxation on the apron and was towed again to the pit lane. Whereas a trigger has but to be formally decided, being aggressive with extraordinarily low air pressures has brought about earlier tire points for different groups this yr.

“Just down the backstretch, all of the air came out of it at once,” stated Chastain after being launched from the infield care heart. “I tried to just keep it straight and braked as hard as I could in a straight line. But it was too late. I was okay until I got into the banking and then the whole car got on the ground and around it went.”

Bother for Kyle Busch

Whereas Chastain was the one driver to undergo an on-track incident through the observe session, one other Chevrolet driver by no means even acquired on observe to start with. Kyle Busch, who introduced a contract extension with Richard Childress Racing on Saturday morning, was the one driver to not run any laps. Busch reported a steering challenge and the crew scrambled to switch the ability steering pump.

Busch was in a position to get out on observe for qualifying, however will doubtless have to start out from the rear of the sector as a result of adjustments. Chastain didn’t and can begin fortieth (final) for NASCAR’s longest race.

Carson Hocevar led the best way in single-lap speeds, driving the No. 77 Spire Motorsport Chevrolet, adopted by the No. 54 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota of Ty Gibbs and the No. 16 Kaulig Racing Chevrolet of AJ Allmendinger.