Written by Craig Handel
chandel@news-press.com

Submitted by Linda Jericka


Riverdale High School grad and soon to be FGCU student Ross Chastain,18, finished 10th in his first NASCAR Camping Truck Series race in Indianapolis last weekend. Chastain is looking for a sponsor. / Andrew West/news-press.com

Ross Chastain’s life has changed dramatically in the last week.

After surprising nearly everyone with a 10th place finish in his first NASCAR Camping World Trucks race last Friday, the family’s cell phones lit up so much that father Ralph had to just put his away for a few hours.

When the family had a party Tuesday night at which a replay of the AAA Insurance 200 race was shown, more than 40 people attended.

In the meantime, Chastain has learned about the importance of having a clean race as well as the business of the sport.

“It’s just realizing what we did do,” Chastain said. “So many rookies come into the Trucks Series and people talk about them but many wreck and don’t do well.”

Grandfather Jim Prevatt added, “It was unbelievable. I was as happy for him as if I had done it myself. I don’t know how you can top it.”

It appears Chastain will get many chances to prove it. He is just 18. The Riverdale High graduate will attend FGCU this fall.

In six years, he has gone from borrowing a friend’s truck so they could race at Punta Gorda Speedway to getting sponsored for a NASCAR race.

“It’s something we’re excited about but we really did believe this could happen the last two years,” father Ralph Chastain said. “With his driving ability and the equipment, we thought he could make this step.”

Family of racers

While Prevatt used to race at the old Buckingham drag strip in the 1960s and 70s, Ralph Chastain did short-track racing in the 90s and brother Chad, 12, also races.

Ross got the bug after driving around the family farm. Using friend Dennis Rockinhaus’ Chevy race truck and getting help from crew chief Rusty Hillman, he competed for the first time in Punta Gorda.

“We got it running, I took it up for practice and raced it Saturday,” Chastain said.

Beating newer and more expensive trucks gave the Chastains confidence to buy their own truck.

By age 14, Ross was racing against adults. By 17, he was racing in New Smyrna against drivers more than twice his age from all over the country.

Chastain won three of eight races during New Smyrna’s Speedweek in February. Nobody else won more than once.

That success drew the attention from sponsors who wanted to see how Ross would do against the really big boys. Along with Turn One Racing, one of the biggest sponsors was the National Watermelon Promotion Board.

For years, Ralph Chastain has been on the watermelon board. Of the 1,150 acres he owns, 350 are used to grow watermelons in Arcadia and Fort Myers along State Route 31.

“They sponsored all of our cars and trucks and wrapped the trailer,” Chastain said. “We had their sticker on our hood at New Smyrna with their smiling face. When we were interested in trying to do a (NASCAR) truck race, they said they were all for it for one race.”

Not a scratch

While Chastain impressed nearly everyone with his finish, what equally amazed those in the racing world was the fact that he had no damage to his Chevy.

No scrapes from other cars, no dings from the wall.

He may be young but Chastain has understood it’s more important to race smart than race fast.

“There are some great drivers who can’t finish a race,” he said. “They get caught in the moment, they get stupid and don’t run smart. They try to pass when they shouldn’t and they take out a car or wreck and get out of the race.”

Chastain’s damage-free truck is a big reason why Brett Bodine, NASCAR’s director of competition and research and development, called him Wednesday and Thursday and told him he has been approved to run on 1-mile and 11Ú2-mile tracks.

The next step? Getting someone to give him a ride on those tracks.

“I learned that I need a sponsor,” Chastain said. “I need money.”

Ralph Chastain said he has received calls on potential sponsors. If his son can get sponsored and have a couple of more successful races this season, he could earn a full-time ride in 2012.

“Brett Bodine has told us you get one chance to make a first impression and he’s done well there,” Ralph Chastain said. “You never know if you’ll get this opportunity, but we have it and he has taken advantage of it.”