Ross Chastain Finishes Fourth in Hy-Vee Perks 250, Aims for Momentum

Ross Chastain achieved a fourth-place finish in the Hy-Vee Perks 250 on Saturday, aiming to gain confidence as the Cup Series regular season approaches its conclusion.

This race was Chastain's final O’Reilly Auto Parts Series start for 2026, where he has performed well with an average finish of 10.6, including a victory at Charlotte in May. He led several laps towards the end of the race but fell to fourth after a late caution led to restarts.

Chastain's performance contrasts sharply with his struggles in the Cup Series, where he is experiencing one of his toughest seasons, averaging a finish of 19.9. He is currently 82 points below the Chase cut line and needs to improve quickly after recent finishes of 27th and 23rd. Despite his challenges, Chastain remains focused on improving speed rather than points, as he prepares to start ninth in the upcoming Iowa Corn 350.