Ross Chastain came to Iowa Speedway with high expectations for his final ride in the JR Motorsports No. 9 Chevrolet. The veteran Cup Series driver wanted to make a statement in Saturday’s HyVee Perks 250, hoping to build momentum for his Sunday Cup Series appearance. Instead, he walked away from the 250-lap battle with frustration and what-if questions after a promising day ended in disappointment.
How Did a Dominant Performance Turn Into Heartbreak for Ross Chastain?
The race started as the Connor Zilisch show. The 19-year-old phenom raced like his championship dreams depended on it, capturing the Stage 1 victory with aggressive driving that left the field scrambling to keep pace. However, Zilisch’s early dominance wouldn’t last as mechanical issues plagued the No. 88 team throughout the event.
Meanwhile, Chastain remained patient, waiting for his opportunity to strike. That moment came in Stage 2 when he seized the lead from Jesse Love and never looked back. The Trackhouse Racing driver controlled the stage from start to finish, winning his second consecutive stage and positioning himself perfectly for a potential victory.
The back-to-back stage wins put Chastain in elite company, following the success of his Trackhouse Racing teammates Shane van Gisbergen and Daniel Suarez, who had previously found victory lane behind the wheel of JRM’s No. 9 Acceptance Insurance Chevrolet. Everything pointed toward another Trackhouse driver adding their name to that prestigious list.
But racing rarely follows the script, and Chastain’s day took a dramatic turn during the final pit sequence. The pivotal moment came during the last tire change, when adjustments to air pressure fundamentally altered the car’s handling characteristics.
In a post-race interview with Frontstretch, the 32-year-old detailed exactly what went wrong. “It goes back to the last set of tires we put on, and we did some air pressure and just took a lot of the rear grip out of the car on the gas,” he explained.
What Went Wrong During the Crucial Final Restart?
The tire change transformed Chastain’s handling machine into an unpredictable challenge. With the rear end becoming loose under acceleration, the Alva, Florida native found himself fighting the car instead of racing for the win. “I was off the gas, not on the loud pedal, so that’s where it went wrong,” he reflected, clearly frustrated by the mechanical issues that derailed his victory hopes.
The situation became even more complicated during the chaotic Lap 214 restart. As the field bunched up entering Turn 2, Zilisch’s No. 88 got loose and made contact with Chastain. The chain reaction sent Chastain’s No. 9 into reigning champion Justin Allgaier, spinning the veteran driver and effectively ending any remaining chances for a late-race comeback.
Despite the disappointment, Chastain remained gracious in defeat, praising his team’s efforts throughout the weekend. “Other than that, pit crew did great, Cory Shea (crew chief) did great, you know bringing a fifth car throughout the year is tough on them I know,” he acknowledged. “I’m a competitor, I wanted to win, and we didn’t do it.”
Saturday’s race marked Chastain’s fifth Xfinity Series appearance of the season and his final opportunity behind the wheel of the JRM No. 9. The result leaves him with mixed emotions about what could have been a perfect Iowa weekend.
When the checkered flag finally waved after 250 laps of intense competition, Sam Mayer of Haas Factory Team celebrated his first victory of the season. Jesse Love crossed the line second, followed by Chastain in third, Zilisch in fourth, and Harrison Burton rounding out the top five. While Chastain’s podium finish represents a solid result, the veteran knows he had the speed to win, making the third-place result feel more like a missed opportunity than a success.
