NASCAR Preview: Why Ross Chastain Could Be the Wildcard This Weekend at Dover

Racing at Dover Motor Speedway is one of the more challenging experiences for any Cup Series driver. The banking angles, both in the turns and the straights, pose an ever-changing landscape for the drivers trying to get ahead of the competition. Several drivers can be considered the favorite to win at Dover, but according to former NASCAR driver Dale Jarrett, Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain could very well be the wildcard for the weekend.

Speaking on NBC Sports, Jarett mentioned, “There is another driver that is kind of looming there… In this Next Gen car has run in the top 5, more laps there in the top 5 than anyone else on the circuit in these two races and that’s Ross Chastain.”

“He has a third place and a second place finish. Could he be the one that continues the stream and makes it seven for seven in his last seven races,” he concluded.

Chastain sure has improved his racecraft over the years and has become better at this racetrack. But with drivers like Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin, will the ‘Watermelon man’ be able to find his edge over the competition? Well, if Jarett’s predictions end up being correct, then we could possibly see Chastain try and fight for the win this weekend.

Can Ross Chastain finally win at Dover? 

Looking at the statistics for Chastain at Dover, things certainly look good. During last year’s race, the melon man finished runner-up, +0.505 seconds behind Martin Truex Jr. A year before that, he lodged in a third-place finish. In both races he led a considerable number of laps, even winning the second stage during the 2023 race.

Considering the past data, one could argue that the Trackhouse Racing driver might have a strong chance of converting this Sunday into a race win. In the 10 races so far this season, Chastain currently sits ninth in the drivers’ standings, with four top-10s and one top-5 with 277 points.