Coming into 2026, Ross Chastain has become one of the most renowned stock car drivers in the United States. Driving in the Cup Series under full-time obligation, Chastain is a menace to rival drivers. Besides being a driver to look out for each race, the Trackhouse man is also notoriously known for his on-track actions, often known as Hail Melon.

Slated to return to his #1 ride in 2026, Chastain will join Shane van Gisbergen and Connor Zilisch this season. As the #1 driver is running under full-time obligation, there was a time when he almost decided to quit until a change in circumstances pulled him back to the sport he loves.

Ross Chastain once wanted to leave NASCAR!

In the early years of the Cup Series, Ross Chastain faced issues with sponsors. The man who is now renowned for his sponsorship with Busch Light Beers once struggled to pull one. As a result, he wanted to walk away from the sport.

One night, as revealed by the driver himself recently, Chastain went home on Christmas and told his family that he would drop out of NASCAR if he failed to keep the sponsorship. However, things changed drastically as the year turned.

“And then I woke up January 2nd, hungover, drunk way too much Busch Light long before they sponsored me, I really did. No one will believe me but I did. So, on January 2nd, I woke up and said I gotta go. Go back to North Carolina. I gotta try,” Chastain recently revealed in the recent Dinner with Racers podcast.

Following this, the Trackhouse star revealed how he drove his truck, went back to his team, visited places such as Welcome, Statesville, and Concord, among many others. As he found a solution and managed to keep his sponsorship, here’s what Chastain further asserted,

“All that simulators back at Huntersville, but yeah, that was the only time I was serious about quitting. And that only lasted from the 18th of December to January 2nd. At that time I truly believed that I woke up on January 2nd and I thought I gotta get back up there, and I was like I can never think that again. Thank God I didn’t quit, and probably I won’t next time.”

Ross Chastain started his Cup Series journey with Premium Motorsports, but he truly began to shine after his move to Chip Ganassi Racing in 2021. He drove the #42 car and had a sponsorship with Clover. Additionally, he secured deals with Moose Fraternity, Tubi TV, DC Solar, and McDonald’s.

After Justin Marks purchased CGR in mid-2021, Chastain decided to remain with the team. Ever since, he has been with Trackhouse and is currently the team’s most senior driver.

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Former NASCAR champion’s retirement helped Ross Chastain grab an iconic sponsor

It’s a well-known fact that Ross Chastain and Busch Light Beers now go hand in hand. However, it was Kevin Harvick who was previously synonymous with the brand. It was only after his retirement that Chastain was able to strike a deal and bring them to Trackhouse.

Busch Light, the company owned by Anheuser-Busch, has been in the sport since 1983. Over the years, they have become one of the renowned brands associated with NASCAR. On top of that, they were associated with Harvick, a Cup Series and two-time Xfinity Series championship winner.

As Harvick was retiring at the end of 2023, they needed a new driver in 2024. This was when Ross Chastain stepped up. Having been a Busch Light fanatic already, it did not take much effort for the Watermelon man to strike a deal.

“We wanted Busch Light,” Chastain said. “We knew Kevin Harvick was retiring, and we wanted to make our case to him. I drank Busch Light before they sponsored me. I was going to drink it whether they sponsored me or not. So, that made the first conversation really easy.”

The upcoming NASCAR Cup Series season will be Ross Chastain’s third year with Busch Light. Interestingly, Chastain will also drive in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Series next year for JR Motorsports. However, it will be under a part-time obligation.