Ross Chastain had duties in Nashville on both Saturday and Sunday. He went through a solid weekend, finishing fifth in the Xfinity Series race and 11th in the Cup Series race. Despite these showings, he was left unsatisfied after leaving one particular box unchecked: the Pro Late model event, Battle of Broadway 150, at the Nashville Fairgrounds Speedway.
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The Trackhouse Racing driver took part in the race alongside Josh Berry in 2024. He had such a fun time racing that he expected to be participating this time around as well. Unfortunately, external factors hindered that desire.
He explained to the press, “It just costs a lot of money. Last year, Tootsies sponsored us to do it, and that was just a big lift for all of us and them.” This time around, he did not have that support.
He continued, “I want to be a part of short-track racing. But this week, or just this year leading into it, it just didn’t really make sense. And, yeah, there’s no real reason. It just didn’t work out. I want to do it again, but it takes a lot of effort.”
Last year, he engaged in a fiery battle with Berry. The drivers raced each other hard for the win, only for Trey Craig to steal the honor from under their noses.
Chastain reaffirmed following the race that it won’t be his last time taking part in it. He said, “My life with Trackhouse draws me to Nashville a lot. This town makes me feel at home, and now I’ve got a race at the Fairgrounds under my belt. It won’t be my last. I promise you that.”
Hopefully, the stars will align better in the future and allow Chastain to battle other pro late model drivers at the historic race track once again.
Josh Berry’s heartbreak in the 2025 Battle of Broadway 150
Berry’s weekend in Nashville nearly got off to an ideal start. He took the checkered flag for the Battle of Broadway 150 in first place and was initially declared the winner. But the joy did not last long. His car was disqualified for a left-side weight violation in the post-race technical inspection, and his result was voided.
He had led 93 laps and dominated the day before this unfortunate fact came to light. The driver had optimistically hoped that his victory in the short track event would carry momentum into his Cup Series start. But things ended up going against his wishes, and he managed to finish Sunday’s race only in 30th place. What started as a dream ended in a nightmare.
