Why Passing “Idol” Martin Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin to Win Was “Definitely a Statement” by Ross Chastain

Sunday was a big day for Ross Chastain, who claimed his first NASCAR Cup Series win of the season. The win at Nashville was preceded by a pole on qualifying a day prior. After claiming the win, the Melon man spoke with the media and stated how this win was more of a statement for him over the JGR pair of Martin Truex Jr and Denny Hamlin.

Chastain also explained how it felt to go up against drivers like Truex Jr., who he had long considered to be his idol growing up. He briefly also touched upon the race at Dover, where Truex apparently air-blocked him from overtaking.

Ross Chastain feels Nashville’s win was a statement to the JGR drivers

Chastain mentioned the first time he met Martin Truex Jr. was when he was a young man. He also spoke about how this win felt like a statement, especially when going up against his childhood heroes and finishing ahead of them at Nashville.

Chastain said, “I first met Martin Truex Jr. at a Bass Pro Shops in Fort Myers, Florida when our local one opened and he signed a Chevy trucks hat for me. And I still have it on my childhood bedroom wall hanging up. The Sharpie is about faded off, but it’s still barely there. Is a hero, he was an idol of mine and then to go to battle against him and then have criticism from him.”

If you think the story between @RossChastain and @MartinTruex_Jr began on the race track, think again. 🧢 pic.twitter.com/77BbM5HT7W

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) June 26, 2023

“And to go back and forth and him to air block me at Dover like he did. When I thought we were just as fast there, was humbling. And to go up against my heroes like that and now to beat him tonight and drive by him and the #11 was definitely a statement.”

Chastain has had previous run-ins with Denny Hamlin

Out of the two drivers that Chastain passed for the win, one of them was Denny Hamlin. In the past, Chastain and Hamlin haven’t been on good terms, with the JGR driver calling out the Trackhouse Racing driver for his driving style.

This is especially considering the fact that Chastain has often been known for his aggressive driving on the track. In the past, he has wrecked quite a few drivers out of his path, including Hamlin, who went on to talk about his feud with Chastain over his podcast, mentioning, “I’ve said it. And I think that Ross doesn’t like it when I speak his name in the media and when I have this microphone. But I told him, ‘Well, I have a microphone, and I’m going to call it like I see it. And until you get a microphone, you can then say whatever you want about me.'”