Ross Chastain’s “Hail Melon” maneuver at Martinsville Speedway on October 30, 2022, is the kind of wild, heart-pounding moment NASCAR fans live for. Staring down elimination in the Round of 8, Chastain needed two spots in the final corners of the race. Channeling his iRacing days, he slammed his No. 1 Chevy into fifth gear, kissed the outside wall, and rode it like a rail, foot glued to the gas, blasting past five cars to snag a Championship 4 spot, while eliminating his rival, Denny Hamlin. His 18.845-second lap smashed the track record, which will never be broken, etching the move into NASCAR legend.

The stunt left jaws on the floor. Chastain didn’t grasp its weight until he hit a Waffle House on the way home, later returning to Martinsville to grab a piece of that wall for his team’s trophy case. Denny Hamlin grumbled about being “Hail-Meloned,” while Kyle Larson, initially salty, admitted it was genius. However, NASCAR banned the wall-ride after that, citing safety issues. Still, the Hail Melon lives on, a testament to Chastain’s guts and flair. But why do we call it ‘Hail Melon’?

Cultivated from his background as an eighth‑generation watermelon farmer in Florida, Ross Chastain made smashing a watermelon his celebration in 2018 after his first Xfinity win in Las Vegas, which has now become a fan-favorite tradition. “I’m just a watermelon farmer from Florida—I’m not supposed to do that,” Chastain had joked then, smashing a melon on a whim. Now, a padded watermelon rides in his hauler, ready for Victory Lane.

Reveling in his recent Memorial Day Weekend victory at the 66th running of the Coca-Cola 600 in May, where he yet again smashed a watermelon and ate it while giving his post-race interview, Ross Chastain took the celebration to the Pentagon this Friday! The Trackhouse Racing star toured the U.S. Department of Defense headquarters, chatting with active-duty service members and swapping tales with U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, a Coca-Cola 600 Co-Grand Marshal. With family by his side, Chastain honored the military, a nod to his great-grandfathers, great aunt, and U.S. Army veteran grandfather who served. “This was just an unbelievable day. I can’t even put it into words—what this city, the Pentagon, and what it all means to our country,” he said.

The centerpiece was Chastain’s watermelon smash on the Pentagon’s Parade Field, the Washington Monument framing the scene. Hegseth, his wife Jenny, and their seven kids, one rocking a watermelon dress, grabbed melons from Chastain’s Alva, Florida farm and joined the fun. “To see all of the Secretary’s kids… and to be able to smash watermelons here near the front steps of the Pentagon is something my family will talk about for the rest of time,” Chastain beamed. The Pentagon smash, with Hegseth’s crew joining in, was a surreal moment, tying Chastain’s racing flair to his family’s legacy.

Chastain lugged the 65-pound Bruton Smith Coca-Cola 600 trophy for photos with service members and staff. The visit, tied to a race that drew 2.7 million Prime Video viewers and sold out Charlotte for the fourth straight year, linked NASCAR’s military tribute to Chastain’s roots. “When we talked to Secretary Hegseth, it was incredible to hear their view of how NASCAR… helps them present a positive image of the military,” he added. The watermelon smash, a salute to his farming heritage, capped a day blending racing glory with national pride.

Ross Chastain’s Pocono redemption quest

Ross Chastain’s Coca-Cola 600 win was epic, but it’s been a while now, and Chastain has cooled off since then. Now, he attempts to reignite his season at Pocono Raceway’s Great American Getaway 400. His 2019 Truck Series victory there—dominating 54 of 60 laps—was a highlight, marked by a watermelon smash on the front stretch and a beach ball toss to fans. “Sweeping the watermelon out of Victory Lane to help the track crew clean up… just an incredible memory,” Chastain said at a Henryville media day, and he’s hungry to repeat that magic in Sunday’s Cup race.

Pocono’s 2.5-mile triangle has been tough in Cup, with Chastain’s best finish a 13th in 2023 and no other top-24 finishes in nine starts. “Just got to execute better,” he admitted. “We’ve led laps… but it’s the last 10 percent of the race that I’ve struggled in.” The track’s three distinct corners—Turn 1’s overdrive trap, Turn 2’s “treacherous” bite, and Turn 3’s patience test—demand precision.

The Coca-Cola 600 likely locks Chastain into the playoffs, but he’s not easing up. “Nothing different for me,” he said. “We celebrated winning the Coca-Cola 600 a lot and we’ll continue to… but there’s a new race every seven days.” With Prime Video airing the 160-lap race as the last of their schedule, Chastain’s eyeing another watermelon smash to cement Trackhouse’s 2025 surge and be the only driver to win twice during Prime Video’s NASCAR broadcasting stint.