“I love it,” Ross Chastain said about Road America recently. After stumbling across some of his own series’ races, the Trackhouse Racing driver decided to get a refreshing break. Chastain finished outside the top 20 in three of the last four races, which axed his playoff position considerably. That is why his idea of ‘break’ differed from more competitive peers sipping martinis on vacations.

Chastain’s love for road courses was reflected during the long Olympic break. He made his IMSA sports car debut with gleeful eyes, taking up the different challenge eagerly. Chastain even confessed that NASCAR turns a deaf ear to his road course preference.

Ross Chastain gets real about his pace

Road America used to feature on NASCAR’s schedule before. However, in 2023, the 4.048-mile 14-turn circuit lost its place to the Chicago Street Race. Despite the sanctioning body cutting out Wisconsin from their plans, the area certainly featured on Chastain’s schedule. The No. 1 Chevy driver finished seventh and fourth in the Cup Series’ brief run at Road America in 2021 and ’22. He also made five starts in the Xfinity Series, which hosted races from 2010 to 23.

Yet driving an Aston Martin Vantage GT4 vs. his familiar NASCAR Cup and Xfinity machinery was an entirely different kettle of fish. Ross Chastain also made his first driver change since he was 14 doing a street stock switch-off race. He joined Ken Fukuda, IMSA’s Diverse Driver Scholarship winner, for the two-hour Michelin Pilot Challenge race on Saturday. Fukuda showed him through everything, and Ross Chastain took up the challenges with a smile, as Road America was his favorite ground.

However, it’s NASCAR’s lack of attention to the Trackhouse driver’s ground preference that disheartens Ross Chastain. “I tell them that, they don’t listen. I think it’s a great facility. I know there are a lot of reasons why we aren’t here. But I still want to be up here. Flying into Milwaukee, driving up, it’s a beautiful country.” Although, the serene countryside is not the only reason Chastain tried his hand at IMSA.

Ross Chastain knows his strengths well, acknowledging the superior versatility of drivers like Kyle Larson. He admitted that getting used to a different wheel takes more time. “Some of my competitors – guys who do multiple classes across the world – are different. You see Kyle Larson. He’s in an IndyCar and he’s immediately fast. He’s the best driver of my generation, my age group. That’s not me. I have to continue to try working at it, which I enjoy. But don’t think this is easy.” 

Although Chastain humbly evaluates his abilities, the IMSA fans were thrilled to see the popular NASCAR driver at their event.

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Chastain’s presence required fan control

Ross Chastain is a motorsports icon, popular for his rowdy attitude on NASCAR tracks. He has drawn flak from his peers many times in the past for aggressively shoving his way towards a win. So the 4-time Cup winner and watermelon farmer has a cult following of his own. Chastain even confessed a fear of resorting to his aggressive side on his IMSA sports car debut, caring not to annoy his peers. So fans extended a warm welcome to Chastain, as Fukuda found his hands full with duties.

Besides racing and instructing his co-driver, Ken Fukuda discovered he also had to do crowd control for Chastain’s fans. He beamed with pride while noting this: “I think it’s incredible, and we’re seeing a different type of fan,” Fukuda said. “So many kids, too. People making their diecast, and one side has a crushed side,” Fukuda added, offering additional brownie points to Chastain, “He’s interacting with every single fan. He spends minutes smiling, taking pictures, asking questions.”

Fukuda also called Chastain “brave” for driving the 450-horsepower, production-based sports cars with traction control and antilock brakes, immensely different from NASCAR Chevy cars. “To come to IMSA, Michelin Pilot Challenge is extremely competitive if not the most competitive series in the world. Completely different car. To say ‘I don’t care, I want to learn, I love driving, I want to figure this out.’”

Fukuda significantly said that this is “what a true pro looks like.” Evidently, despite Ross Chastain’s apprehensions about his abilities, his IMSA fans have no doubts about his prowess.