Ross Chastain began the final lap of the 2022 Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway on the outside of the Championship 4 battle looking in. The window of opportunity to race for a title was quickly closing as his 10th-place standing was not going to be good enough to earn a chance to battle for the NASCAR Cup Series® championship.
Instead of worrying about the closing of that championship window, Chastain drove right through it. Where drivers throughout Martinsville’s long history of NASCAR® racing had hit the brakes to make it through turns three and four, Chastain gassed up and pinned his No. 1 Moose Fraternity Chevrolet Camaro to the outside retaining wall on the final lap. With the checkered flag waving ahead, Chastain rocketed around the final corners while riding the wall. The move instantly became one of the most dramatic and clutch moments in NASCAR® history as he passed five competitors and earned just enough points to earn the ability to race for the series’ championship at Phoenix Raceway.