The watermelon farmer pulled off a win at Darlington! Ross Chastain, who’s been racing part-time in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, just clinched his first-ever victory at “The Track Too Tough to Tame,” right after finishing a solid P5 at the Circuit of the Americas. Meanwhile, fan favorite Kyle Busch had a rough day, getting knocked out of the race after two crashes in the first 15 laps left his car wrecked.

While fans were thrilled the last time Kyle Busch took the checkered flag, they seem to have mixed feelings about other Cup drivers, including Ross Chastain, snagging a win. Well, it seems NASCAR fans are passionate, but their loyalties can definitely vary.

Ross Chastain just won his first truck race since 2022!

Back in 2022, Chastain dipped into the Truck Series on a part-time basis and took a win in North Carolina. Fast forward to last year; he raced in seven events but only managed two top-5s and one top-10. That’s why the win was so special for Chastain.

Meanwhile, Kyle Busch, who’s been in five Truck races this season, has already grabbed wins in Atlanta and Texas. But Busch’s fans were left hanging when he dropped out just 15 laps into the latest race, and to top it off, they had to watch Chastain cruise to victory.

Despite the mixed reactions, Ross Chastain was over the moon. After the race, he didn’t seem to mind what anyone else thought. Beaming during his post-race interview, he said, “It’s so cool. We won Darlington! […] A watermelon farmer just won Darlington and for everything this means for Niece Motorsports and five years ago to the day that we won our first race.”

At first, it looked like Ty Majeski was going to score Ford’s first win of the 2024 NASCAR season. His pit crew was on fire, getting him back on the track first after all the lead-lap trucks decided to pit for fresh tires. On the restart, Majeski picked the outside lane, while Ross Chastain lined up inside, which turned out to be a game-changer.

And then, right off the bat, Chastain and Majeski got into a bit of a scuffle, swapping paint as they battled for the lead. But Chastain managed to pull ahead while Majeski, along with Colby Howard and Jake Garcia, slipped up and smacked the outside wall. Chastain clinched the win by a mere 0.315 seconds over Nick Sanchez, marking his first victory of the season in just his third start.

The final laps were edge-of-your-seat exciting as the two drivers duked it out for the top spot. However, the aftermath was a bit of a downer. While fans were pumped about Kyle Busch’s recent wins, some were grumbling over Cup drivers dipping into the lower series, arguing they’re swiping victories from the regular truck racers.

Niece Motorsports driver wins at the Truck Series race, but it didn’t exactly have NASCAR fans jumping for joy

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When Kyle Busch crossed the finish line first in the past, the crowd went wild, with some suggesting he should even consider joining Craftsman Truck Racing full-time after hanging up his Cup series helmet. However, the reaction to Ross Chastain’s victory was a whole other story. The mood was pretty sour, with fans dropping comments like “We all lost tonight” to show their disappointment.

The frustration was palpable, with some fans expressing regret for even watching the race, lamenting, “All that for a Chastain win 😔” and “All that for a cup regular to win.“ 

The discontent didn’t stop there. A vocal bunch straight-up called for a ban on Cup drivers in the lower series, with comments like, “STOP LETTING CUP DRIVERS RACE IN THE LOWER SERIES! Geezus,” “NO Cup drivers should be allowed in the truck series,” “Like him but he shouldn’t be in trucks ruined a regulars chance to win,” and “Yay another cup driver win AWESOME.”

What’s your take? Should Cup drivers be barred from competing in Xfinity or Truck races?