“I Do This in Video Games”: Iconic Ross Chastain Moment Leaves F1 Hopeful in Shock

Sunday, October 30th was a big day for motorsport racing. On one end, Max Verstappen managed to create a new record with his win in the Mexican GP. Up north, in Virginia, there was a more exciting affair at the Martinsville Speedway. 29-year-old, Ross Chastain, pulled off a move that left everyone aghast.

Racing at the Martinsville Speedway in the Xfinity 500 – the penultimate race of this season’s NASCAR Cup Series – Ross Chastain pulled a never-seen-before move. As the final lap of the event began, the Florida man was 10th in the race. His team knew that a 10th finish would leave him 2 points behind Denny Hamlin for the final spot in the Championship 4 Race.

With nothing to lose and all to gain, Ross Chastain put all his strength onto the gas pedal and went along the track walls. His move gave him an edge over others, finishing 5th with a 0.73 seconds gap over 6th place Hamlin. The general consensus at the end of the race was the move had always been seen in video games but no one had mustered the courage to try it out; Chastain did and succeeded. 

Pato O’Ward is a 23-year-old racing driver, who currently races in the IndyCar 500 for Arrow-McLaren. He has done test runs for McLaren F1 in Barcelona. The driver posted a tweet that said “OH MY GOD. I DO THIS IN VIDEO GAMES ALL THE TIME. IT WORKS!!!” 

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It was a brave move which could have gone either way. But fortune favors the bold, and his move gives him a shot at the Championship. So, it was all worth it.

Ross Chastain move stunned fans on Twitter

Chastain’s move was completely unexpected. It paid off for him by giving him a chance to race in the Top 4 on November 7, at Phoenix Raceway. It is safe to say that his move has been applauded all around the racing community. 

Here are some of the tweets in appreciation of the move.

Given the dangers involved in high-speed racing, it is uncommon for drivers to make moves like these. At the same time, the high stakes involved do call for some bits of boldness.

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