CONCORD, N.C. — Ross Chastain’s mind was on Kyle Busch until the green flag waved on Saturday’s Charbroil 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Then, it was back to business — and business was good for the defending Coca-Cola 600 winner.
Chastain started 14th, led 28 laps and was out front when the race concluded under caution at the end of Stage 2, with a mixture of inclement weather and poor visibility the culprit in an early conclusion to an event that started on schedule before a four-hour, 21-minute rain delay paused the action on Lap 33.
Action-packed racing resumed when the cars rejoined the track, but it didn’t take Chastain long to assert himself as a contender. He took the lead on Lap 60, regained it for the final time on Lap 71 and captured his third career NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series victory — his first in a JR Motorsports car.
Second and third went to Jesse Love and Austin Hill, Richard Childress Racing teammates of Busch, the two-time NASCAR Cup Series champion and racing icon who tragically passed away on Thursday.
William Sawalich and Corey Day completed the top five.
Connor Zilisch finished sixth with Ryan Sieg seventh and Cole Custer eighth. Carson Kvapil and Rajah Caruth rounded out the top 10.
Pole winner and series points leader Justin Allgaier led a race-high 36 laps, but the JR Motorsports driver hit the wall and sustained damage that led to a 29th-place finish.
Zilisch won Stage 1 before Chastain captured Stage 2 en route to capturing the 114th victory in JRM’s O’Reilly Auto Parts Series history.
“We put ourselves in position. We were able to execute, get the lead and be in the lead when it mattered tonight,” said Chastain. “Racing felt good. I read this quote a long time ago after a different tragedy, and it was, ‘Our country can’t heal until sports get going again.’ That was ringing in my head walking to the track yesterday
