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Ross Chastain gets throwback scheme for first career dirt race at Eldora

Ross Chastain - Eldora

Ross Chastain has proven he’ll race anything with four wheels on it if he’s allowed to.

But in his career there’s one box he’s yet to check off: racing on dirt.

Chastain, who leads Gander Outdoors Truck Series regulars with three wins this season, will get to mark that off his racing bucket list Thursday night with the annual Truck Series race at Eldora Speedway (9 p.m. ET on FS1).

“I don’t know what to expect at Eldora. No dirt experience at all,” Chastain said after his win Saturday at Pocono Raceway. “Just go try to let these Niece (Motorsports) guys teach me. They’ve done it for a few years. But this will be (crew chief) Phil (Gould’s) and I’s first time going there to race.”

How is the 27-year-old driver preparing for his first time slinging dirt at the Tony Stewart-owned facility in Rossburg, Ohio?

“iRacing does (help) a little bit,” Chastain said. "(Driver coach) Josh Wise has raced dirt so I talk with him a lot, talk with Kyle (Larson) a lot. I don’t know how you ever prepare. You’re never prepared for any of these tracks. We’ll just go build a good race truck that obviously can do the things it needs to on dirt. ... From there, just try not to destroy it. That’s goal No. 1, be there at the end cause you can so easily get on the brakes too hard and it’s going to shove straight in the fence and knock the front clip off of it.”

While Chastain has a lot of questions about Eldora, Chase Briscoe, the most recent driver to win the Truck Series event at Eldora, has high expectations for Chastain.

“I would say the (driver with the) most natural ability (for dirt) would probably be Ross Chastain, for a guy that doesn’t have any dirt experience,” Briscoe told NBC Sports Tuesday. “I’ve never seen Ross on dirt, but just racing against him on pavement, I’ve always thought Ross is one of the most talented race car drivers I’ve ever raced with.

“I’m really excited to see how Ross does this week. I feel like he’s going to be low-key the guy that’s going to be running up front. Plus, it’s super cool he’s running a Jack Hewitt throwback. Jack Hewitt’s my racing hero. He drove for my grandpa, won at Eldora.”

Chastain’s No. 45 Chevrolet, will boast the JW Hunt paint scheme made famous by Troy, Ohio, native Jack Hewitt, a member of the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame.

In 1998, Hewitt made history as the first driver to win all four legs of the USAC Four Crown Nationals. Among his other accomplishments: 13 USAC National Sprint Car Series feature wins, three USAC National Midget Car Series wins, eight USAC Silver Crown Series wins, 16 Modified wins, two All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Car A-main wins, and one Dirt Late Model Victory.

He was also a back-to-back champion in the USAC Silver Crown Series in 1986 and 1987.

“I grew up coming to Eldora,” said Niece Motorsports General Manager Cody Efaw in a press release. “This place means the world to me. To be able to race a truck here that pays homage to one of the best dirt racers there ever was, is truly an honor. I hope Jack is proud of it. I know this whole team is proud to carry that paint scheme.”

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