Ross Chastain - Wright Brand 250 Race Recap
Race: Wright Brand 250 (250 laps / 156.25 miles) | Race 10 of 23
Track: North Wilkesboro Speedway
Location: North Wilkesboro, North Carolina
Date & Time: Saturday, May 18th | 1:30 PM ET
Resumed: Sunday, May 19th | 11:30 AM ET
No. 45 N.C. Governor's Highway Safety Program Chevrolet Silverado RST
Driver: Ross Chastain | Crew Chief: Phil Gould
Start: 3rd | Stage 1: 11th | Stage 2: 19th
Finish: 15th | Driver Points: N/A | Owner Points: 9th
- Key Takeaway: Ross Chastain and the No. 45 team experienced a rear gear pinion failure in the practice session on Friday afternoon, but the crew was able to make repairs and prep for the race. As the rain canceled qualifying, Chastain was slated to start the highest of the Niece Motorsports drivers in third. Chastain fought for the lead in stage one, but later dropped to 11th with varying strategies. The loss of track position hurt the No. 45 team, and they dropped to 19th at the end of stage two. A late pit stop helped the team gain some positions to finish in 15th place.
- Ross Chastain's Post-Race Thoughts:
“We struggled with balance all weekend, it felt like we were chattering the front tires the whole way. There were times where we were loose enough to be competitive, but still it seemed like we missed something fundamentally that kept us from competing. It’s a new track with a fresh repave on it, so we’ll learn and be better next time.”
About Niece Motorsports: Niece Motorsports is owned by United States Marine Corps Veteran Al Niece. In 2024, Niece Motorsports enters its ninth season in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series. Niece also owns Niece Equipment, which has for over 40 years provided clients with reliable products at competitive prices. Niece Equipment’s reputation is built on service, integrity and dependability. The company provides water and fuel/lube trucks that are engineered with quality and durability in mind for the construction and mining industry. Follow the team on Facebook and Instagram @NieceMotorsports as well as X @NieceMotorsport.
About the North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program: Dedicated to reducing the numbers of traffic crashes and fatalities in North Carolina, the Governor’s Highway Safety Program promotes efforts to reduce traffic crashes in North Carolina and promotes highway safety awareness through a variety of grants and safe-driving initiatives.
These grants as well as initiatives – like Click It or Ticket, Booze It & Lose It, BikeSafe NC, Watch For Me NC and Speed a Little. Lose a Lot. – help address issues such as impaired driving, seat belt use, speeding, distracted driving, motorcycle safety, bicycle safety, pedestrian safety and other aspects of highway safety.
GHSP also helps fund North Carolina’s Vision Zero initiative, which is working to meet the goal of zero deaths on the state’s roadways through community involvement and data-driven safety interventions.