Ross Chastain gave NASCAR one of its biggest viral moments with his “Hail Melon” move at Martinsville in 2022. He needed to make up two spots to advance to the Championship 4. With just one lap to go, he stepped on the gas, moved up into the wall, and smashed his way to the start-finish line ahead of Denny Hamlin. It became an instant hit, with everyone talking about the move, especially the video that emerged after the race.

“I’m just gonna put my foot on the floor, and I’m not lifting till I see God or the checkered flag.” Most people thought this was Ross Chastain speaking over the team radio, but in reality, he never said those words. The Trackhouse Racing driver cleared up the misconception while speaking on Bussin’ With the Boys. “That’s not me.”

Team owner Justin Marks added, “Somebody, like, spiced that and made viral videos online. Here’s the thing, the real radio communication was better than that in my opinion. They didn’t need to fake it.” As authentic as the viral commentary sounded, it wasn’t Chastain on the radio. Instead, he was constantly asking his spotter about the position he needed to make the transfer.

While the commentary behind the viral video wasn’t real, the impact it had on Chastain was legitimate. This was his first year driving the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevy, and he took his team to the Championship 4 at Phoenix. Chastain also rose to fame and cashed in big time. Merch like the “Hail Melon” and “Wall Ride” T-shirts became hugely popular among NASCAR fans.

Despite pulling off the video-game-like move, the driver was more pleased with the overall outcome. “Bigger than the last lap, just remember the fact we are putting ourselves in position to just have a shot at the championship.” Chastain would finish third at Phoenix, but the Hail Melon became part of his identity from that point forward.

While NASCAR didn’t penalize the driver for pulling off the move, the sanctioning body made sure it wouldn’t be repeated. In 2023, NASCAR banned the video-game-style move, with safety being the primary concern. Christopher Bell tried to repeat it during the 2024 Martinsville race, but NASCAR penalized him. So, Ross Chastain is likely to remain the only driver in NASCAR to pull off the stunt in competition.

But how did this move come about? And did Chastain have a plan in place to ride the wall at Martinsville?

Chastain Credits NASCAR 2005 for his 2022 Stunt

Interestingly, Ross never planned to plant his car into the wall and dash across the finish line. He didn’t practice the move on a simulator or even discuss it with a race engineer at the shop. It was pure instinct that worked in his favor. His only relatable memory was from his childhood, when he played NASCAR 2005.

“I remember doing it as a kid. We had a Nintendo GameCube… I can remember as kids us racing NASCAR 2005. Kevin Harvick was on the cover, and we liked to go around backward and crash into each other and have fun playing. And that was the last time; none of the simulators ever did it,” Chastain explained on the podcast.

It made sense, as the wall ride was nothing short of a move that belonged in a video game. That move remains one of the most iconic moments in modern-day NASCAR and in Trackhouse Racing’s history. But fast-forward to 2026, and the No. 1 team will need a similar miracle if it wants to compete for the championship.

With two races to go, Chastain has to erase a 63-point deficit to break into the top 16. There is also a possibility that if he manages to do so, his teammate SVG could slip out of contention, as he currently occupies the 16th and final spot on the bubble. While the 2026 season has been a struggle, Chastain is the kind of driver who can script a massive comeback. And that is exactly what the No. 1 team will be hoping for heading into the New Hampshire race weekend.