Ross Chastain – Martinsville Speedway Preview

Chastain at Martinsville: Ross Chastain makes his 15th Cup Series start at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday. He enters the weekend with three consecutive top‑10 finishes at the track. Since joining Trackhouse Racing in the No. 1 Chevrolet, he has earned five top‑10 finishes in eight Martinsville starts with an average finish of 8.5. He has led 39 laps at the Virginia short track.

Memorable Moment at Martinsville: Chastain is well known for the “Hail Melon” wall ride at Martinsville in October 2022, a video‑game‑style move that earned him a spot in the Championship 4. The car and wall segment from that moment are displayed in the Trackhouse Racing lobby in Concord, North Carolina, which is open to the public.

SafetyCulture Partnership: Trackhouse Racing recently announced that SafetyCulture has extended its partnership through the 2026 season, continuing its role as the team’s Official Workplace Operations Partner. SafetyCulture’s platform helps the organization operate more safely and efficiently.

Double Duty at Martinsville: For the second straight weekend, Chastain will also race in the NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series. He will drive the No. 91 for DGM Racing on Saturday. He is slated for 10 NOAPS races this year, with Saturday marking his third 2026 start. He finished fifth in his only previous Martinsville NOAPS race in October 2020.

Meet Chastain: On Sunday at 10:45 a.m. local time, Chastain will sign autographs at the Trackhouse merchandise hauler (wristband required). At 11:25 a.m., he will participate in another autograph session at the Drive Smart Virginia booth (wristband required).

New Year, New Crew Chief: Brandon McSwain joined Trackhouse Racing in December as Chastain’s new crew chief, marking the first time Chastain has worked with someone other than Phil Surgen in his full‑time Cup career. McSwain and Chastain first met in 2014 at Hattori Racing Enterprises. McSwain previously worked at JR Motorsports and Hendrick Motorsports and most recently served as William Byron’s lead race engineer.

Last Weekend at Darlington: Chastain qualified 25th and overcame a speeding penalty and slow pit stop to finish 16th.

Chastain Quotes

What comes to mind when you think about Martinsville?
“Brandon McSwain has won there before with the 24 team. I hope I have the next two decades to keep trying to win it. I want to be better there. I’ve been working on things in the simulator to try and be better and help my driving. No matter how the car is, tight or loose, there are things I inherently do that just aren’t great there with the wheel and pedal. I’m working to be better.”

How cool is the grandfather clock trophy?
“I’ve gotten to know Clay Campbell a little bit and go to breakfast with him. Hearing stories of his family’s history and the legacy he wants to continue is really cool. That grandfather clock is something real you can take home when you win. Everything at that track is built on the foundation of NASCAR. The grandfather clock is something I want. I want it really bad and I’ll work a long time to take one home.”

About SafetyCulture: SafetyCulture is a global technology company that helps frontline teams work more safely and efficiently. More than 2 million workers worldwide use its mobile‑first operations platform to improve safety, quality and performance. safetyculture.com

Connor Zilisch – Martinsville Speedway Notes

Zilisch at Martinsville: Connor Zilisch will make his 10th NASCAR Cup Series start this weekend and his first short‑track Cup start. Last March, he won the pole for his first NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series race at Martinsville, becoming the youngest pole winner in series history at the track.

Prime Time with Connor Zilisch: “Full Speed: The Daytona 500,” featuring Zilisch, premiered March 5 on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories.

Welcome Randall Burnett: Randall Burnett begins his first season as crew chief for the No. 88 team. The Missouri native joins Trackhouse Racing after success at Richard Childress Racing with Tyler Reddick and Kyle Busch, including six Cup wins from 2022–2023 and the 2019 NOAPS championship.

Meet Zilisch: He will sign autographs at the Trackhouse merchandise hauler on Sunday at 12:15 p.m. (wristband required).

Darlington Rewind: Zilisch finished 18th at Darlington, using the wave‑around to regain a lap and managing a loose car to earn his best finish since COTA.

Zilisch Quotes

What is it like to race at Martinsville?
“I enjoy Martinsville. It hasn’t treated me the best, but we’ve been really fast there. It will be a different style race in the Cup car. The race is longer, so staying alive and on the lead lap is important. People race differently in Cup. A short track creates chaos but it’s fun. We have Choice Privileges on our No. 88 and it will be a fun weekend.”

How will more horsepower change the race?
“I’m not sure. Some guys say they feel a big difference, but it’s only 80 horsepower. It’s enough to matter but not enough to be a complete game changer. I’m curious if it puts things more in the driver’s hands.”

How do you keep emotions in check at Martinsville?
“You have to manage your emotions. Tempers flare. Sometimes you have to let things go and get the guy back later without wrecking them. It’s tough when you’re getting hit from behind but there’s not much you can do.”

About Choice Privileges: Choice Privileges is the rewards program for more than 7,000 hotels across 47 countries, offering points redeemable for hotel stays, gift cards, airline miles and more. choicehotels.com/choice‑privileges

Shane van Gisbergen – Martinsville Speedway Notes

Short Track Time: Shane van Gisbergen makes his fourth Cup start at Martinsville this weekend. He finished 14th last fall after starting 22nd. His best Martinsville finish is 12th in 2024.

Darlington Last Weekend: Van Gisbergen qualified 32nd and finished 14th, his best result at Darlington.

Point Standings: He enters Martinsville 15th in the Cup standings, 10 points behind 14th.

SuperFile Partnership: Van Gisbergen will race the No. 97 SuperFile Chevrolet for the third time this season. SuperFile provides secure, persistent control of sensitive digital files, enabling authentication, tracking and protection even after sharing or download.

A Number That Means So Much: Van Gisbergen carries the No. 97, a number used by his father. In Australian Supercars, he earned 80 wins, 3 championships, 48 poles and 152 podiums with the No. 97. He used the same number during his 2024 NASCAR rookie campaign, earning three wins and three poles.

Runaway Kiwi: SafetyCulture, NASCAR and Trackhouse teamed up on a documentary covering van Gisbergen’s rise from New Zealand to NASCAR. The film is available on the NASCAR YouTube channel and The NASCAR Channel.

Van Gisbergen Quotes

How do you feel your progression has been at Martinsville?
“It’s one of my better tracks. Left‑foot braking and downshifting aren’t natural for me, but Martinsville is one of my stronger tracks. It gets crazy, but I look forward to racing there.”

What have you learned about Cup Series restarts?
“There is a lot more take than give. I’ve gotten better at putting myself in good spots and not getting taken advantage of. Last year I was conservative early, but now I’m better at avoiding getting swallowed up.”

Trackhouse Racing PR