When NASCAR issued the new rules modifications on January 31, the “Hail Melon” move made by Ross Chastain at Martinsville where he literally rode the wall (not rim riding but against the wall) has been outlawed.
After the race Chastain expressed doubt over whether he would ever try the risky move again; now NASCAR has ensured that he or any other driver will not.
Chastain’s car owner Justin Marks of Trackhouse Racing spoke on the car and future plans saying, “so the good news is these cars are strong. Because of that, the Martinsville ‘wall car’ came back from the race with 90 percent of its parts reusable. Which means keeping that car exactly as it came off the track as a show car would cost Trackhouse hundreds of thousands of dollars. We’ve gone back and forth on what to do but given the new ruling NASCAR made yesterday, we’ve decided to preserve the car as best as possible. Ross’ move at Martinsville was a historic moment and should be preserved for the fans for years to come in physical form.”
He continued, “this sport isn’t just about the balance sheet, it’s about passion and moments and people. While he finished 2nd at the end of the season, I’d say that the number one car deserves to be preserved. No one will ever get a chance to try this again. And I’m sure this is heading to the Hall of Fame soon enough.”
Feature photo credit: Ross chastain trackhouse racing (52005053524).jpg