CHASTAIN RIDING WITH MOMENTUM

LONG POND, Pa. – After a big weekend at Dover International Speedway, Ross Chastain rolls into Pocono Raceway this week with momentum.

       Chastain had fine runs in Monster Energy NASCAR Cup, Camping World Truck and Xfinity races at Dover.

       On Saturday, he’ll drive the JD Motorsports with Gary Keller No. 4 Chevrolet in the Pocono Green 250 Xfinity race at Pocono.

       Chastain has some positive history at the track known as the Tricky Triangle. He has driven in two Truck races at Pocono, finishing fifth in 2013 and 10th in 2012. He also has raced in an Xfinity event at the 2.5-mile track.

       “Being in the Cup car last week at Dover really gave me a new look at driving and is going to help with the Xfinity program,” Chastain said. “I’m hoping we can keep things moving along at Pocono, a place I really like.”

       Pocono practice sessions are scheduled at 1 and 3 p.m. Friday. Qualifying is set for 9:35 a.m. Saturday, with the race to follow at 1 p.m.

SMITHLEY ROLLS INTO POCONO

LONG POND, Pa. – Garrett Smithley will race in his third NASCAR event at Pocono Raceway when Saturday’s Pocono Green 250 Xfinity Series race gets the green flag.

       Smithley has driven in Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series races at the tough 2.5-mile track.

       “Pocono is a great combination of a very fast track and one that has tough turns,” Smithley said. “All three turns are different, so you have to come up with a compromise that will make you fast all the way around the place. It’s a challenge.”

       Smithley is 20th in Xfinity points entering the race.

       Practice is scheduled at 1 and 3 p.m. Friday, with qualifying set for 9:35 a.m. Saturday and the race at 1 p.m.

RHODES DEBUTS AT POCONO

LONG POND, Pa. – The Tricky Triangle has baffled more than a few drivers over the years.

       Harrison Rhodes gets his first shot at Pocono Raceway in an Xfinity car in Saturday’s Pocono Green 250, a 100-lap chase around the triangular, fast track.

       “I’m looking forward to racing there,” Rhodes said. “The track is super fast and has a lot of room for racing. It will be a big test for me, but I’m ready to roll.”

       Rhodes sits 22nd in Xfinity driver points entering the season’s 12th race.

       Practice is scheduled at Pocono at 1 and 3 p.m. Friday. Qualifying is set for 9:35 a.m. Saturday, with the race to follow at 1 p.m.

CHASTAIN HAS IMPRESSIVE WEEKEND IN DOVER TRIPLEHEADER

GAFFNEY, S.C. – Last weekend was a very busy – but quite enjoyable – one for NASCAR driver Ross Chastain.

         Chastain drove in all three races at Dover International Speedway, competing in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup, Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series events on the Monster Mile.

         Sunday’s Cup race marked his debut in that series.

         Chastain finished 15th in the Truck race, 21st in Xfinity and 20th in Cup. He was running higher in all three series during the races.

         “I had a blast,” said Chastain, whose regular ride is with the JD Motorsports with Gary Keller Xfinity Series team. “Jumping from one car to another and then to the truck and getting to work with all three teams was great. It helped me as a driver put together one of the best weekends I’ve had.

         “We were able to minimize mistakes and do good for everybody, and that’s hard thing to do across a weekend of three races.”

         Chastain drove with sponsorship from the Delaware Office of Highway Safety and its Protect Your Melon Buckle Up DE campaign in all three races.

         Chastain, driving for Bolen Motorsports, qualified ninth for Friday’s Truck race. He raced with the lead group much of the race despite having battery issues.

         “We had a really fast truck, but an alternator wire broke after about 20 laps,” Chastain said. “I turned everything off in the truck and tried to run as hard as I could to make it to the end. But we had to come in and change the battery and lost two laps. We were still able to run with the fast trucks.”

         Chastain was chasing a top-10 run in the Xfinity race Saturday until a corded tire sent him to the pits with four laps to go.

         “The guys had gotten the car balance-wise so that I could really hustle it,” he said. “I could see that the guys in front of me were struggling, so I pushed hard and went up there and passed them. I probably should have taken it a little easier on the tires, but I pushed as hard as I could the whole run.”

         Chastain drove for Premium Motorsports in the Cup race. He qualified 36th but pushed through the field quickly.

         “I didn’t really know what to expect with the Cup car, so I had my expectations set very realistically,” he said. “But it all worked out. I was happy once the race got rolling. To be that competitive right off the bat was really cool.

         “There’s not a single bad team in Cup, so to be able to legitimately pass cars on the track was great.

         “We’re really on a high spot right now. Hopefully, we can capitalize on it in the Xfinity program and keep building the program there in Gaffney.”

         Chastain’s next race will be Saturday’s Pocono Green 250 Xfinity race at Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania.

CHASTAIN 21st AT DOVER

DOVER, Del. – Ross Chastain finished 21st in Saturday’s OneMain Financial 200 Xfinity Series race at Dover International Speedway.

       Chastain started 20th and pushed into the second 10 before coming home in 21st.

       He gained a spot in the Xfinity driver points to 19th.

       “We had a good car, but we couldn’t stay up front,” said Chastain, who drove the Protect Your Melon Buckle Up DE Chevrolet. “It’s a tough track to get a good handle on. We got in some good laps, though, and learned a lot for the next time around.”

       Cup Series invader Kyle Larson won the race, and Elliott Sadler kept the point lead.

       The series moves on to Pocono Raceway for a June 10 race.

SMITHLEY 27th AT DIS

DOVER, Del. – A track-bar problem left Garrett Smithley with a 27th-place finish in Saturday’s OneMain Financial 200 Xfinity Series race at Dover International Speedway.

       Smithley parked the Heroes Haven Chevrolet after completing 176 of the race’s 200 laps.

       “We were moving up through the pack but couldn’t get to the finish,” Smithley said. “Had a pretty strong car and ran with some of the faster cars. We’ll move on from here and look for a better result at Pocono.”

       Smithley gained a spot in driver points to 20th.

       Kyle Larson won the race, and Elliott Sadler kept the point lead.

       The series next races at Pocono Raceway June 10.

RHODES PARKS WITH ENGINE TROUBLE

DOVER, Del. – A sour engine left Harrison Rhodes with a 37th-place finish in Saturday’s OneMain Financial 200 Xfinity Series race at Dover International Speedway.

       Rhodes parked his Meding’s Seafood/Iron Source Chevrolet after completing 91 of the race’s 200 laps.

       He remained 22nd in Xfinity Series driver points.

       “We’ll move on from here,” Rhodes said. “These things happen. We wanted to get to the finish, but we got in a good run.”

       Kyle Larson won the race, and Elliott Sadler remained in the point lead.

       Pocono Raceway will host the next Xfinity race June 10.

CHASTAIN HAS BUSY WEEKEND AT DOVER

DOVER, Del. – Ross Chastain will be quite busy this weekend at Dover International Speedway.

       Chastain plans to drive in all three NASCAR events at the track – Friday’s Camping World Truck Series race, Saturday’s Xfinity Series race and Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup race.

       Sunday’s race will mark Chastain’s Cup debut. In all three races, he’ll be sponsored by the Delware Office of Highway Safety as part of its Protect Your Melon Buckle Up DE campaign. He’ll be in the JD Motorsports with Gary Keller No. 4 Chevy in Saturday’s Xfinity race.

       “It’s going to be a big weekend at Dover,” Chastain said. “I’m excited about all the possibilities. The Protect Your Melon campaign is very important to me, and we’ll be talking about that a lot while we’re there.

       “The Cup race will be fun, but, of course, our concentration for the weekend will be on Johnny’s Xfinity program. We’ll be looking for a strong ride there.”

       Chastain has raced six times at Dover – four in Xfinity and two in Camping World Truck.

       Practice for Saturday’s race is scheduled at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Friday. Qualifying is set for 10:05 a.m. Saturday, with the race to follow at 1 p.m.

SMITHLEY BACK AT DOVER

DOVER, Del. – Dover International Speedway is fast and furious and has earned its nickname of the Monster Mile.

       Garrett Smithley will race at DIS for the third time in Saturday’s OneMain Financial 200 Xfinity Series event.

       “Dover is always a fun track,” Smithley said. “The lap times there are so short that you feel like you’re in turn three by the time you leave turn one. You have to be on your toes.”

       Smithley, who will drive the No. 0 Heroes Haven Chevy Saturday, is 21st in Xfinity driver points entering the 11th race of the season.

       Practice is scheduled at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Friday at Dover. Qualifying is set for 10:05 a.m. Saturday, with the race to follow at 1 p.m.

RHODES READY FOR DOVER

DOVER, Del. – Harrison Rhodes is ready to test the Monster Mile.

       Rhodes will drive the Meding’s Seafood/Iron Source No. 01 Chevrolet in Saturday’s OneMain Financial 200 at DIS, known as one of the fastest and toughest one-mile tracks in racing.

       “I’ve been in four races at Dover, so I know the track pretty well,” Rhodes said. “It’s one of those places where things happen really fast, so you’ve got to be alert and ready. I’m sure we’ll have a good car this weekend.”

       Rhodes sits 22nd in Xfinity driver points entering the 11th race of the season.

       Practice is scheduled at Dover at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Friday. Qualifying is set for 10:05 a.m. Saturday, with the race to follow at 1 p.m.