For the third time this season Ross Chastain visited Victory Lane with Niece Motorsports in the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series (NGOTS). This time, the win at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway counted towards Chastain’s bid to make the playoffs.
“This win means the world,” said Chastain. “This team had a chip on their shoulder after last week. We knew we needed to come here and win, and we were able to do that. We didn’t have the fastest truck, but man we wanted it. I’m so grateful to CarShield for coming on board this week; it feels great to bring them to victory lane. A big thank you to our boss man Al Niece for allowing us the opportunity to do what we love.”
With clean air proving to be of utmost importance, Chastain and crew chief Phil Gould took a gamble late in the race, opting for a fuel-only pit stop. The bold strategy call proved successful, ultimately moving Chastain to the lead as green flag pit stops cycled through.
The watermelon farmer from Alva, Florida was able to hold on to the lead, even through a late race restart with seven laps remaining. The trucks behind Chastain had fresher tires, but the 26-year-old would not be denied.
“I’m so proud of this team,” said team owner Al Niece. “Instead of letting what happened last week tear them apart, it only made them stronger and more determined to win. Ross is a tremendous talent – this team has proven what they are capable of.”
Chastain’s push to make the playoffs to contend for the championship became a lot easier after Saturday night’s victory. Coming into last night’s race, Chastain had six races to earn a win and move into the top-20 in NGOTS points to be eligible to compete for the championship. After the victory, Chastain is 26th in points, just 38 points outside of the top-20.
The win comes on the heels of a tough week for the organization. Chastain and team found Victory Lane last week at Iowa Speedway, only to have the win taken away following post-race inspection.
The team’s luck began to turn around when CarShield opted to hop on board and sponsor the No. 45 Chevrolet.
Headquartered close to Worldwide Technology Raceway at Gateway, in nearby Saint Peters, Mo., CarShield offers vehicle service contracts designed to pick up where automobile owners’ existing warranty drops off and to fill gaps in coverage. CarShield was founded in 2005 by principals Nick Hamilton, Mark Travis, and Rick Brettelle and specializes in shielding its members from the high cost of automobile repairs by offering a wide range of flexible vehicle service plans.
Chastain’s victory in the CarShield 200 presented by CK Power, is officially the team’s second win of the season. Last month, Chastain and team visited Victory Lane at Kansas Speedway.
The NGOTS will return to action in the Camping World 225 on Friday, June 28 at Chicagoland Speedway.
Niece Motorsports PR
