‘Wrecking Ball’ Ross Chastain Breaks Silence, Saying He Owes Massive Apology for Dover Carnage

Published 05/02/2023, 10:08 AM EDT

Competing with aggressive NASCAR drivers is a challenging endeavor. It requires constant vigilance and an acute sense of knowing when to back off. However, when Ross Chastain is in close proximity, it might be wise to vanish from the race track altogether.

Over time, Chastain has earned the moniker of the “wrecking ball” of the NASCAR Cup Series. Undeniably, he possesses considerable talent, but continuously causing collisions with others is not something his fellow drivers are fond of.

In the recent Cup Series race at Dover Motor Speedway, the notorious “melon man” was responsible for the misfortune of two fellow drivers. Following the chaos he caused, the Trackhouse Racing Team driver ultimately spoke up, acknowledging the need to offer a heartfelt apology to Brennan Poole and, indirectly, Kyle Larson for his actions.

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Ross Chastain breaks his silence over the Dover carnage

The melon man was asked about his performance at Dover during which he led 98 laps—a personal best this season. The journalist inquired if Chastain was surprised that the decision to take two tires held him off when he had four.

To this, the Trackhouse Racing Team driver responded, “I think whoever got in the lead was going to have a shot at it.”

Following this, he mentioned the incident involving Poole and accepted, “I first have to say I’m sorry to Brennan at everybody at Rick Ware’s team. I owe a big apology and a bit more. When I get home from Skip Barber tomorrow, I’ll head over there and talk to those guys and make some of that right.”

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Talking further about the race, he said, “Gosh, so close, again, for our Jockey Chevy, everybody at Trackhouse, Advent Health, Moose Fraternity, Worldwide Express. It’s surreal to continue to do that and race against my heroes. I guess I told them a few too many of my secrets last year after we went fishing.”

Brennan Poole was extremely unhappy with Chastain’s move at Dover

Brennan Poole had a straightforward message for Ross Chastain after the Trackhouse racer caused him to spin out during lap 81 at Dover Motor Speedway.

The agitated driver had told the FOX reporter in the post-race interview, “Felt like I just got ran over. I mean, for no reason […] Doesn’t make any sense to me, but guess that’s something he has been known to do. He probably needs to get his b*tt whooped.”

Poole was racing neck-and-neck with Austin Dillon and everything seemed to be fine. However, Chastain had other plans, as he struck Poole’s rear bumper, sending him sideways.

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Brennan Poole on Ross Chastain at Dover … 👀 pic.twitter.com/cyj2TBODqL
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 1, 2023

Chastain managed to dodge any further contact with Poole, who subsequently careened up the track and collided with Kyle Larson. Effectively ending the race for both Poole and Larson.

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Unfortunately for his fellow racers, having collisions because of Chastain is not an unfamiliar occurrence. Indeed, it appears to be getting worse. Nevertheless, the frequency of these incidents is likely to push everyone’s patience to the breaking point. Many fans have pointed out that the future consequences remain uncertain if Chastain does not curtail his on-track shenanigans.

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Written by:

Srijan Mandal is a NASCAR writer at EssentiallySports. With a Master's Degree in Journalism from a top institution, Srijan has written over 1000 articles across various platforms. His passion for racing began at a young age and has only grown stronger over time.

Edited by:

Nischal Kandpal