Love him or hate him, Ross Chastain is just what NASCAR needs
Once again, Ross Chastain was the big story in NASCAR over a weekend.
On Sunday, Chastain tangled with Kyle Larson while racing for the win on a late restart, allowing William Byron to sneak through for his third victory of the year. It wasn't the only accident that occurred during the race, but since it involved Chastain, it's the one everyone is talking about.
Such is the Ross Chastain experience, and that's exactly why NASCAR needs him. The number of drivers in the series right now with household name appeal is very slim, a far cry from the days when characters like Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and the Busch brothers (Kyle and Kurt) dominated the sport.
Of today's generation, there's still Kyle Busch, but he's not getting any younger. Chase Elliott and Larson are popular but don't have the most outgoing personalities. Bubba Wallace is a name many recognize, but while he's a solid talent, he's not really an on-track superstar. Chastain, however, has serious potential to help grow NASCAR's popularity.
If you're not a die-hard NASCAR fan but know of Chastain, it's probably because of this viral moment from Martinsville last fall.
That doesn't tell anywhere near his full story, though. He's a blue-collar watermelon farmer who spent years toiling in underfunded equipment before finally getting his big chance. Now, he's the current Cup Series points leader.
His aggressive driving style has rubbed many the wrong way, but his underdog persona has endeared him to many others. It's somewhat reminiscent of when Brad Keselowski first burst onto the scene in the early 2010s, racking up hardware but also making his fair share of enemies.
Still, Chastain is a different animal. He's not brash and hotheaded like Keselowski. He's humble off the track, and the damage he causes on it almost always isn't intentional. That makes him much more sympathetic from a human standpoint, similar to the good ol' boys of years past whom viewers felt they could easily relate to.
Chastain would do well to clean up his careless behavior, certainly. However, it can't be denied that he is a goldmine of headline-grabbing highlights and charismatic personality the likes of which the sport hasn't seen in a long time from one of its star drivers. That's why NASCAR should be marketing him as far and wide as possible.
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