NASHVILLE — Ty Norris has heard NASCAR fans both cheer and boo Ross Chastain, who seems to make more enemies by the race.
The president of Trackhouse Racing doesn’t mind: Norris thinks the Cup Series should have 40 other drivers just like his “Melon Man.”
“Ross is a driver that has become comfortable in making other drivers uncomfortable,” Norris said. “He doesn’t mind going three wide. He doesn’t mind going up against the wall. He doesn’t mind poking his nose in there when he wants the space.”
That aggression has crossed a line at times as far as some of Chastain’s fellow drivers are concerned. He punched Noah Gragson after the Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway earlier this year. He also spun Chase Elliott, NASCAR’s most popular driver the past five years, early in the final stage of the 2022 season finale, costing Elliott a chance at a second title.
Chastain’s on-track encounters are plentiful, and that kind of driving and emotion helps make NASCAR more interesting even if some of his competitors and their fans get ticked off. Norris made clear Chastain, whose family has farmed watermelons for generations, isn’t out there simply to stir the pot, though; he’s trying to win and compete for the Cup Series championship.