NASHVILLE, N.C. — Ross Chastain closed out a dominant weekend in the Music City with a win at Nashville Superspeedway.
Chastain held off a hard-charging Martin Truex Jr. and navigated through lapped traffic during the race's closing run. The Trackhouse Racing driver led a race-high 100 laps en route to scoring his fourth career victory and first of the 2023 season.
Following his win, Chastain gave an emotional victory speech crediting people around him for keeping his spirits up during difficult times.
"This is incredible. This is why every little kid out there, anywhere in the world when you get criticized, and you're going to if you're competitive, they will try to tear you down," said Chastain to the media after the race. "You will start believing them... don't do it! You have to go to your people, trust in the process."
Chastain started on the pole and was a top threat for the win all night. It was the first time Chastain started on the pole in his 168 NASCAR Cup Series starts.
Tyler Reddick challenged early on and won the first stage but spun after losing a tire around halfway, relegating him to 30th.
Truex started in front on the next restart when Brad Keselowski failed to get up to full speed in the second row, prompting an accordion effect that caused the field to scramble. Kyle Busch and Ryan Blaney spun out in the aftermath, with the latter driver slamming the inside wall.
Blaney was slow to exit the car after the hit but was later released from the infield care center. It is the first race this season he has failed to finish.
Truex held onto the lead when the race restarted but Denny Hamlin eventually got out in front. Hamlin held off Chastain and Truex to win the second stage.
Chastain grabbed the lead from Hamlin with around 70 laps to go and never relinquished the top spot. A mistake by Hamlin's pit crew during the race's final pit stop prevented him from challenging for the win.
Truex slipped into second and put the pressure on Chastain with around 30 laps to go as the two drivers weaved through lapped traffic. Chastain ultimately prevailed and won the race by over one second.
Truex cruised to second, Hamlin finished third, Chase Elliott finished fourth, and Kyle Larson finished fifth.
Kyle Busch had a tire go down early and climbed back to finish ninth. Daniel Suárez crashed in qualifying and started in last but rebounded for 12th. Kevin Harvick finished 24th after losing a tire late despite running in the top 10 for most of the race.
The NASCAR Cup Series is next in action at the Chicago Street Race for the Grant Park 220 on Sunday, July 2. It's the first-ever street race for the NASCAR Cup Series.