LEBANON – Ross Chastain doesn’t know all the details of how a fan got to him on pit road after the May 24 Coca-Cola 600 win in Charlotte and took his winning hat before getting to victory lane.

It happened as Chastain was in his car talking to Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks.

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Chastain said he has spoken with NASCAR security for an understanding of what happened. He said the person just “slipped through the cracks.”

“I was a fan not that long ago,” said Chastain, who will race in the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway on June 1. “I’m not saying don’t ask for stuff. Yes, if I could have had the winning hat of somebody when I was a fan, maybe I would have asked.

“I would have to liked to have had it. But just don’t take it. It was too far. I had my hand on the bill saying, ‘No.’ Then it got ripped off my head.”

The hat was eventually retrieved from the fan and given back to Chastain.

Ross Chastain has plenty of watermelons for Nashville NASCAR races

Chastain is pulling double duty in Nashville, running in NASCAR’s Xfinity race and Cup race on May 31 and June 1 respectively.

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Don’t worry, though. He has plenty of watermelons for potential celebrations.

Chastain is driving for JR Motorsports in the NASCAR Nashville Xfinity Tennessee Lottery 250 and will be in his normal Trackhouse No. 1 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Cup Series Cracker Barrel 400 on June 1.

“JRM and Trackhouse both brought watermelons,” Chastain said. “What’s cool are the teams really have bought into that, to having watermelons and getting them, whether its truck drivers, or whoever buys groceries for the hauler.

“Yes, they’ve got watermelons in each of them.”

Chastain is coming off winning the Coca-Cola 600 race in Charlotte a week ago. It’s his first win of the season and first Coca-Cola 600.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: NASCAR Nashville race: Ross Chastain has questions after hat theft

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — NASCAR’s big weekend in Music City culminated in a celebration Saturday night after Justin Allgaier took the win in the Tennessee Lottery 250, his third in the 2025 season.

The No. 7 Chevrolet led 100 of 188 laps of the NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Nashville Superspeedway.

“Every time we bring our Hellmann’s Mayonnaise Chevy out, it’s always fast, it’s always up at the front, you know, we’re battling for wins,” Allgaier told Nexstar’s WKRN.

He faced challenges in the race, at one point being placed fourth on a restart with 49 laps to go. But after a power move to the inside of the track, he grabbed the lead and held it for the rest of the race.

In second, No. 88 Chevrolet driver Connor Zilisch said he knew his chance for first place was over as soon as Allgaier reached the bottom.

“As soon as he got to the bottom, it was over. I wish I could’ve done something differently, but I really don’t think I could’ve, I just got side drafted back. And once we were side by side, I just didn’t have quite enough grip,” Zilisch said.

Following the race, Allgaier took home his second Gibson guitar, three years after earning his first. Now, he says he has a guitar for each of his two daughters.

The excitement at Nashville Superspeedway continues Sunday at 6 p.m. CDT with the Cracker Barrel 400 NASCAR Cup Series race.

You can catch that race and all Xfinity Series NASCAR races on The CW.

Drivers will race under the lights at Nashville Superspeedway during this week’s night race at Nashville Superspeedway.

It’s time for the Cracker Barrel 400! The 400-mile race consists of 300 total laps, divided into three stages of 90, 95, and 115 laps.

This year marks the fifth year of this specific Cup Series race (but the first under its new name — it was previously known as the Ally 400). Each of the past four races has had a different winner, so 2024 winner Joey Logano is entering today’s race with the potential to become the first back-to-back winner in the race’s history.

Here’s everything you need to know about today’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Nashville.

Cracker Barrel 400 start time: What time is today’s NASCAR race on?

Today’s (June 1) NASCAR race, the Cracker Barrel 400, begins at 7 p.m. ET.

What channel is today’s NASCAR race on?

Today’s NASCAR race won’t be on traditional television; it will air exclusively on Prime Video.

How to watch the Cracker Barrel 400 for free:

If you aren’t a Prime Video subscriber yet, you can get started with a 30-day Amazon Prime free trial, including Prime perks like the Prime Video streaming service, free two-day shipping, exclusive deals, and more. After the free trial, Amazon Prime costs $14.99/month or $139/year.

All 18- to 24-year-olds, regardless of student status, are eligible for a discounted Prime for Young Adults membership as well, with age verification. After a six-month free trial, you’ll pay 50% off the standard Prime monthly price of $14.99/month — just $7.49/month — for up to six years and get all the perks.

With Prime Video, you can also take advantage of the streamer’s Shop the Race storefront, exclusively on the Amazon mobile app, to shop gear, flags, and more for your favorite driver.

NASCAR on Prime Video broadcast team:

Adam Alexander will serve as lap-by-lap announcer during today’s race, with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his former crew chief Steve Letarte offering color commentary. The broadcasts will be hosted by racing reporter Danielle Trotta and will feature analysis from former NASCAR driver Carl Edwards and current part-time competitor Corey LaJoie.

NASCAR on Prime Video 2025 schedule:

Prime Video will broadcast four more NASCAR races this season, including today’s.

Why Trust Post Wanted by the New York Post

This article was written by Angela Tricarico, Commerce Writer/Reporter for Post Wanted Shopping and New York Post’s streaming property, Decider. Angela keeps readers up to date with cord-cutter-friendly deals, and information on how to watch your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and movies on every streaming service. Not only does Angela test and compare the streaming services she writes about to ensure readers are getting the best prices, but she’s also a superfan specializing in the intersection of shopping, tech, sports, and pop culture. Prior to joining Decider and The New York Post in 2023, she wrote about streaming and consumer tech at Insider Reviews

Justin Allgaier improved his resume for “Father of the Year” on Saturday night, earning a second Gibson guitar trophy – one for each of his daughters – for his victory in the Tennessee Lottery 250 NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Nashville Superspeedway.

Allgaier, driving the No. 7 Chevrolet for JR Motorsports, swept all the stages on his way to his third NASCAR Xfinity Series win of the year, his second at Nashville Superspeedway, and the 28th victory of his career, good for ninth all-time. Chevrolet has won 12 of the first 14 Xfinity Series races of the season – a Series first.

“There’s no cooler feeling than to win at a place like this,” said Allgaier in front of the grandstands with fireworks exploding behind the backstretch. “These fans are incredible. I really wanted to get a second guitar. [My daughters] can fight over one of them or both of them.”

By that point his daughters — Harper and Willow — and wife Ashley had run across the infield grass to join Dad at the start-finish line. Both children joined the defending NASCAR Xfinity Series champion in the car as he guided it to Victory Lane, where his car owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. waited to congratulate him.

“It was a really great run,” Earnhardt said. “Justin runs so good here. It’s no surprise to see him up there contending.”

Allgaier led a race-high 101 laps, including the final 48 circuits following a critical pass of Brandon Jones on the inside during the race’s final restart.

“JR Motorsports brought some incredible Chevrolets today,” Allgaier said. “That final restart was the key. Having clean air, and being out front … you have to make the most out of having good days. “This team never gives up. [My pit crew] deserves this more than anything. This [car] was on rails.”

Allgaier, the Xfinity Series points leader, beat rookie Connor Zilisch, his JR Motorsports teammate, to the checkered flag by 1.289 seconds. Sam Mayer was third, followed by Sheldon Creed in fourth and NASCAR Cup Series star Ross Chastain in fifth.

“[Justin] had the clean air at the end and I couldn’t quite get there,” said Zilisch, who led 18 laps. “Really good job by Justin there on that final restart.”

“Overall, we had a really solid day,” said Mayer. “Unfortunately, we didn’t execute on pit road and we got shuffled back on some restarts. Being disappointed in a third-place finish is good long term.”

Allgaier, 38, from Springfield, Illinois, averaged 111.006 mph around the 1.33-mile concrete oval, completing 188 laps in 2 hours, 15 minutes and 9 seconds. Six caution periods took up 39 laps while seven leaders exchanged the lead eight times.

Earlier Saturday, rookie William Sawalich, driving the No. 18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, earned his second career pole, with a lap of 155.152 mph (30.86 seconds) during Wilson County Convention and Visitors Bureau Qualifying. Sawalich led 37 laps but finished 35th after losing engine power.

Among other notables, former NASCAR Cup Series drivers Aric Almirola and Harrison Burton finished sixth and 13th, respectively, while Jeffrey Earnhardt placed 20th.

At the end, everyone was looking up at Allgaier, who was soaking in the time with his loved ones — and maybe thinking about where to put the latest family trophy.

“To have my daughters and wife here — these are the moments that are really, really special,” Allgaier said.

NSS PR

Dennis Hauger quickly figured out the best way to avoid potential and real chaos Sunday in the INDY NXT by Firestone Detroit Grand Prix – stay out front.

Pole sitter Hauger, from Norway, led all 45 laps of the race on the streets of downtown Detroit in the No. 28 Rental Group car for his fourth victory in five races this season in the INDYCAR development series. He held off the No. 76 HMD Motorsports car of 2024 series Rookie of the Year Caio Collet by 1.0460 seconds in a one-lap dash for the checkered flag after a restart at the end of Lap 44.

SEE: Race Results

“The tires, they cool down really quickly, so that last lap was sketchy,” Hauger said. “I think I heated up the tires nicely, and we got a good gap after the back straight.

“Super happy with that. We kept it clean, and we got a good win today.”

Hauger expanded his series lead to 38 points over fellow rookie teammate Lochie Hughes, who is the only other driver to win a race this season.

Rookie Juan Manuel Correa earned his career-best finish of third in the No. 39 HMD Motorsports car. His previous best result was 14th in the second race of the Indianapolis road course doubleheader last month.

Series veteran Josh Pierson completed a solid day for HMD Motorsports, which fielded the cars that finished second, third and fourth, with a fourth-place result in the team’s No. 16 machine. Hughes rallied from a late pit stop due to a damaged front wing to round out the top five in the No. 26 McGinley Clinic/USF Pro Championship car.

Just six of the 20 cars in the race finished on the lead lap, as the tight confines of the nine-turn, 1.645-mile temporary circuit on the streets of downtown Detroit induced chaos nearly from the green flag.

At the start, Hauger and Hughes raced side by side into the first turn, with Hauger clinging to the top spot. In Turn 4 on the same lap, the No. 99 Abel/Force Indy car of Myles Rowe was sent into a spin due to rear contact from the No. 17 car of teammate Callum Hedge.

That incident spawned a caution period due to a bottleneck that blocked the track and led to an accordion effect of collisions, with nine cars involved and many suffering damage.

Hauger held steady on the restart on Lap 3 and gradually eased away from Hughes and Andretti Global teammate Salvador de Alba in the No. 27 Grupo Indi machine.

De Alba passed Hughes for second place on Lap 5 and stayed within four-tenths of a second of Hauger by Lap 10.

But Hauger expanded his lead to 1.5 seconds by Lap 19 as de Alba, Hughes, Collet and Correa dueled – often side by side – for second through fifth. There was some contact, and the front wings on the cars of Hughes and de Alba were damaged.

The wing damage, which also included rubbing a deep groove into his right front Firestone Firehawk tire, forced de Alba to pit from second place on Lap 24. Hauger had all but checked out up front by then, ahead by 6.5 seconds.

Hughes’ front-wing damage compromised his car’s performance, and Collet passed him for second on Lap 38. Hughes was forced to pit for a front wing change on Lap 39 from third place.

It looked like Hauger was going to canter to the checkered flag, as his lead had reached double digits by Lap 40. But Jordan Missig spun exiting Turn 2 on Lap 41 in the No. 48 Abel Motorsports car, triggering the second and final caution of the race and erasing Hauger’s big lead.

The field lined up for a final restart and one-lap shootout at the end of Lap 44, but Hauger got a big jump at the green and never was threatened by Collet or Correa.

The next INDY NXT by Firestone race is Sunday, June 15 at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Illinois, just across the Mississippi River from St. Louis. It’s the first of four oval races this season for the series.

IndyNXT PR

The NASCAR Cup Series made its debut at the Nashville Superspeedway in 2021 after the circuit didn’t come through the city for nearly 40 years, and the venue has quickly entrenched itself as a compelling annual stop again.