In trading for Mike Conley, the Utah Jazz announced themselves as a legitimate contender to make the Finals next season and swiped the first domino in what is set up to be an interesting and unpredictable point guard market.

To review: Utah traded Jae Crowder, Kyle Korver, Grayson Allen, the No. 23 pick in Thursday's NBA draft (7 p.m. ET on ESPN), and a protected future first-round pick that will mostly likely shift over to Memphis in 2022 -- when it will be top-six protected, per league sources.

Contracts tied to Conley and Rudy Gobert expire after the 2020-21 season, so by (probably) deferring the pick until 2022, Memphis has at least given itself a shot of catching the Jazz in a down year at the same time the NBA might have a "double draft" combining one-and-done college prospects with newly eligible players coming out of high school.

This is good return for Memphis, which is losing a franchise legend and the last remaining on-court link to the beloved Grit-N-Grind era. (Conley should have a statue outside FedExForum in Memphis soon after his retirement.)

The Grizzlies took a slight risk in waiting until now to deal Conley instead of acting at the trade deadline, but it ended up costing them nothing beyond the chance to clear more 2019-20 salary. They might have come out better for it.

They always wanted two first-round picks, and they got them. The Detroit Pistons opted against paying that price, sources say, and even had the Pistons agreed, Memphis might have been stuck with Reggie Jackson. The Pacers would not surrender two first-round picks and Aaron Holiday, sources say.

In Allen, Korver, and Crowder, Memphis gets three useful players. (Depending on how they structure the trade, the Grizzlies could also create a fat trade exception of about $25 million.) Allen, the 21st pick a year ago, logged just 416 minutes as a rookie, but Utah remained optimistic about his potential. The Grizzlies can almost argue they acquired three first-round picks in this deal. Waiting also allowed Memphis to have certainty over where Utah would pick in Thursday's draft.

Korver and especially Crowder are movable for value. (Memphis trading Crowder for two second-round picks makes too much sense for it not to happen -- and maybe soon.) Crowder leaves a gaping hole at power forward in Utah. (The Jazz's best lineups since acquiring Crowder at the 2018 trade deadline have featured him as a small-ball power forward.)

No matter how the Jazz timed this trade, adding Conley's $32.5 million salary takes them out of the market for max-level free agents, according to ESPN's Bobby Marks. Utah can open $16.9 million in space by waiving Derrick Favors, whose deal for next season is nonguaranteed, but even that does not create maximum space with Conley's mega-salary coming in.

Utah probably coughed up one more asset than it would have liked, though that might have been unavoidable. It's hard to tell if Boston's interest in Conley was ever real, but you can't blame Utah for believing it became real once reports had both Kyrie Irving and Al Horford potentially heading for the exits. Utah also needed to send out enough salary to keep Favors and remain under the cap. Sending Crowder over Dante Exum is a big bet on Exum. The Jazz need Exum to help next season.

Utah using its space on Conley also marks some minor good news for Philadelphia and any other suitor for Tobias Harris. The Jazz had Harris listed among its major free-agency targets, sources say, but they will move down into lower power forward tiers depending on what they do with Favors. Keep him, and they will be limited to using the room midlevel exception of about $4.8 million. Waive him, and they can crack open enough space to sign someone in the Nikola Mirotic/Bobby Portis/Marcus Morris/DeMarre Carroll tier. They could also send out Favors in a sign-and-trade for a free agent around that level.

If all else fails, they could elect to keep Favors in his role as token starting power forward and heavy-minutes backup center behind Gobert.

Utah has never quite given up on the Favors-Gobert starting duo, even if it seems like they give up on it when the going gets tough in the playoffs. Utah has always defended like all hell in its twin towers alignment. Favors has won them playoff games. The questions have all come on offense.

Spacing was tight with Ricky Rubio running point. Utah's offense mostly survived in the regular season -- minus a disastrous start in 2017-18 -- but things got dicier against dialed-in playoff defenses. The Favors-Gobert pairing would have a more honest chance with Conley, Donovan Mitchell, and Joe Ingles surrounding them in what could be a killer starting five. Georges Niang loosened Utah's spacing as a break-in-case-of-emergency rotation guy in the playoffs against Houston, and figures to get a real chance next season.

Utah may discover it needs a better, more versatile power forward option than is on the roster now. If so, the Jazz have the time and tools to rectify that.

Conley is a very snug fit regardless. You need multiple plus playmakers to score against elite playoff defenses. Mitchell was a little overtaxed as a No. 1 option. He shot 39 percent across his two playoff runs, and finished with more turnovers than assists in Utah's dispiriting first-round loss to Houston this season.

Mitchell is 22! Expecting expert-level navigation from him in the playoffs this soon was not super-reasonable. He's not LeBron James. All things considered, Mitchell has managed well enough; he certainly looked ready for the moment as a rookie in coaxing Carmelo Anthony onto an island and running Oklahoma City out of the 2018 playoffs.

Ingles is a fine all-around player, but he was a little overburdened as a No. 2 option who ran Utah's offense when Mitchell rested -- and sometimes even when Mitchell was on the floor.

Acquiring Conley slots everyone into a more natural hierarchy. Very quietly, Conley had an All-NBA-caliber season in what ended up as his Memphis swan song. He can share the controls with Mitchell; both will munch on more catch-and-shoot 3s as a result. Conley is a steadier and more precise crunch-time ball handler who can calm Utah's offense amid the late-game frenzy.

Ingles settles back into a role as a secondary creator against scrambled defenses. He has drained at least 40 percent of his catch-and-shoot 3s in each of the last four seasons, and cracked the 46 percent barrier -- wow! -- in both 2016-17 and 2017-18 before a slight downturn last season.

Conley has lost a half-step, but he is still at least Rubio's equal on defense -- and probably a little better in hothouse moments. He is less prone to gambling out of scheme. Utah's defense should remain among the league's two or three best with Conley and Gobert bookending things.

Utah is 2-8 against Houston over the last two postseasons. It became fashionable to brand them with the dreaded backhanded compliment: regular-season team. On one level, that is kind of an empty term. It really just means that a team isn't quite as good as the best teams, and Utah before this deal plainly was not as good as the best teams.

But the label was at least hinting at real issues. Utah did not quite have enough stylistic diversity on either end. Acquiring Conley doesn't change that in regard to Utah's defense. Play enough postseason series, and Gobert is going to run into a tough matchup. That is just life for paint-bound rim protectors. (That said, Gobert got more comfortable last season venturing out toward the 3-point arc. His defense -- and Utah's as a whole -- steadied against Houston after a disjointed first two games in which James Harden obliterated an exaggerated scheme designed to take away his step-back 3-pointer.)

On offense, Utah's whirring perpetual motion machine of handoffs and screens looks gorgeous in the regular season. In the playoffs, more defenses roll their eyes at that Basketball 101 stuff, switch every action, and dare someone to get buckets one-on-one.

Conley gives Memphis a second guy who can dust behemoths on switches. The upgrade in shooting will make each of those handoffs and screens more dangerous, and reduce the opposing defense's margin for error. On more of those two-man actions, both players will be multifaceted threats. Any mistake -- any window opened -- will carry more risk.

Remember: Even in bricking away to a ghastly 99 points per 100 possessions against Houston, the Jazz found 22 wide-open 3s per game -- the most of any postseason team, per NBA.com. They just missed a crazy portion of them. Adding another elite shooter gives them a bit more insulation against such slumps.

The cost is real, but this is what you do when you have a chance to make the Finals. Six years ago in a down cycle, the Jazz happily gobbled up two first-round picks from the Golden State Warriors in exchange for absorbing cap detritus -- allowing the Warriors to unlock enough space for Andre Iguodala.

Now in an up cycle, with the Golden State dynasty in shambles amid an unthinkable rash of injuries, Utah is going for it -- and (they hope) paying a similar price.

There are a ton of dominoes left to fall in the West. The Lakers need to build a team around LeBron James and Anthony Davis; if they do a halfway decent job of it, they could be scary. The Clippers could claim conference finals favorite if they sign Kawhi Leonard and another All-Star-level player. (Personally, I love the fit of Horford with the Clippers -- if they lure Leonard away from a great situation in Toronto.)

The bickering Rockets are still here. None of Denver, Portland, Oklahoma City, and San Antonio are going anywhere. At least one -- maybe more -- have the goods to make a big win-now move. (Can we get Kevin Love to Portland somehow, please?)

But Utah was a legit 50-win team before adding Conley, and they have given themselves a chance to be something more.

Other ripple effects of a major trade:

• The rest of the NBA's free agent point guards lost a source of leverage in Utah. One fun quirk: Several of the teams with holes at the position have dynamic wings who soak up a lot of ball-handling duty -- Mitchell in Utah, Victor Oladipo in Indiana, Devin Booker in Phoenix, Luka Doncic in Dallas.

Do those teams want traditional floor generals, or guys more like Patrick Beverley -- 3-and-D spot-up types? (Malcolm Brogdon is perhaps the apex version of this player on this summer's free agency market, but he is restricted and the Bucks would like to keep him.)

Utah went for the best talent available.

Indiana is circling Ricky Rubio, though they have eyes on other targets -- including trade options -- if Rubio's market gets too frothy, sources say. Brooklyn believes it is the frontrunner for Irving, sources say, which would put D'Angelo Russell in play somewhere. Russell is an intriguing fit next to those ball-dominant wing types; playing him in more of a hybrid role might actually nudge his shot selection toward a healthier direction -- more catch-and-shoot 3s.

Phoenix still has no proven point guard; Tyler Johnson could be available if he opts into his contract for next season, sources say. The Mavericks can create about $30 million in cap room. They may opt to use that on a big man instead of chasing Kemba Walker or some other high-profile point guard, though nothing has been decided yet, sources say. (Dallas pursuing Horford has been the hottest rumor of the day; they will face competition for him.)

Orlando has D.J. Augustin for one more season, and a giant question mark at the position beyond that. Washington has Tomas Satoransky heading into restricted free agency; will anyone hit him with an offer sheet fat enough to stress the Wizards?

• Boston owns the Grizzlies' pick next season, but only if it falls outside the top six. Trading Conley signals a full-on rebuild. If the Grizzlies pick in the top six next season, Boston gets Memphis' pick in 2021 regardless of where it falls. Will it still be a golden chip then? Or can Memphis bottom out this season, keep its pick, and improve to the point that it is merely a run-of-the-mill lottery team in 2021?

The Minnesota Twins placed infielder Marwin Gonzalez on the 10-day injured list and right-handed reliever Blake Parker on the family medical emergency list Wednesday.

Gonzalez has a strained right hamstring, the team said. He is hitting .255 with nine home runs and 26 RBIs in his first season with the Twins. He has made starts all around the infield this season, at third base (31), second base (two) and shortstop (one). He also has made 16 starts in the outfield.

He was lifted for pinch hitter Max Kepler in the sixth inning Tuesday night against the Boston Red Sox. Kepler, who was supposed to get the night off Tuesday, ended up playing 12 innings and getting three hits, including the game-winning single in the 17th inning.

The team did not disclose details on Parker's family medical emergency. He leads the Twins with nine saves this season (in 10 chances) and is 0-2 with a 4.26 ERA in 25 1/3 innings pitched.

The Twins recalled catcher/infielder Willians Astudillo and right-hander Sean Poppen from Triple-A Rochester in corresponding moves.

Astudillo hit .250 with two homers and 11 RBIs in 33 games with the Twins earlier this season. Since being sent to Rochester, Astudillo hit .526 with three home runs and 11 RBIs in nine games.

The New York Yankees released veteran right-hander Danny Farquhar, who was trying to work his way back onto a major league roster after suffering a ruptured brain aneurysm during a game while pitching for the Chicago White Sox last season.

Farquhar, 32, signed a minor league contract with the Yankees during the offseason and after an extended spring training was sent to the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders. In three innings in Scranton, he gave up seven runs, including three home runs, and ran up a 21.00 ERA.

Farquhar collapsed in the White Sox dugout on April 20, 2018, with a brain hemorrhage. He spent more than two weeks in the hospital, then returned to the ballpark June 1, 2018, to throw out a ceremonial first pitch at U.S. Cellular Field.

Farquhar was cleared to resume baseball activities last June and became a free agent after the 2018 season.

World Rugby has abandoned plans for a new Nations Championship starting in 2022 after failing to gain the required support from unions.

The governing body needed unanimous approval from the 10 unions that make up the southern hemisphere's Rugby Championship and Europe's Six Nations.

World Rugby says there was a "lack of consensus on key issues" including timing and the tournament's format.

The project had secured equity support worth £6.1bn over 12 years.

"We remain fully committed to exploring alternative ways to enhance the meaning, value and opportunity of international rugby," said World Rugby Chairman Bill Beaumont.

"This includes our continued commitment to competition and investment opportunities for emerging nations to increase the competitiveness of the international game with a view to possible Rugby World Cup expansion in 2027."

The Nations Championship would have seen a top division of 12 teams from both hemispheres play each other once in a calendar year, either through traditional competitions like the Six Nations or the Rugby Championship, or in summer or autumn Test windows.

The top two teams would have then met in an end-of-year showpiece final.

However, a major sticking point was the concept of promotion and relegation, with Six Nations unions such as Scotland and Ireland believed to be unconvinced on the sustainability and vibrancy of the second division.

The proposals would have also seen the November international schedules redrawn, with smaller nations fearing any new calendar would reduce the opportunities available to them.

However, a 12-team first division would have seen regular exposure against the top nations for the likes of Fiji and Japan, who would each have benefited from as many as 11 matches each year against top-tier nations.

The players' union was also believed to harbour reservations over the travel required in the summer international window, when northern hemisphere teams traditionally play in the south.

England hooker Dylan Hartley is set to miss out on the World Cup after struggling with a knee problem.

Regular captain Hartley led England to back-to-back Six Nations titles in 2016 and 2017 under head coach Eddie Jones, but hasn't played since December.

Jones is also set to shun hundreds of caps worth of experience when he names his first training squad on Thursday.

Scrum-half Danny Care and flanker Chris Robshaw are understood to be among the high-profile omissions.

Thursday's 29-man party will only include players not involved in the Premiership semi-finals, with Harlequins' uncapped forward Alex Dombrandt in line to be named after a strong performance against the Barbarians earlier this month.

With all English-based players given a mandatory rest period of five weeks, those from beaten semi-finalists Gloucester and Northampton will join the camp next week.

Jones then names his final training party, including players from finalists Exeter and Saracens, on 4 July.

'Hartley not in right condition'

Hartley, 33, was an ever-present part of Jones' regime before he missed the tour of South Africa last summer because of concussion.

He has struggled to nail down a regular place since, and has not featured for either club or country in 2019 because of a recurring knee problem.

Although as a Northampton player he was not due to join the camp until the end of the month, it is understood he is not in a fit enough condition to be involved.

Sources close to Hartley say he will continue to rehabilitate his injury in the hope to be fit and available in August, but in reality the odds are now firmly against him making the tournament in Japan.

'Omissions a gamble'

Even though they have fallen out of favour of late, Care, 32, and 33-year-old Robshaw's exclusions come as a major surprise and represent a gamble from Jones.

Care, England's second-most capped scrum-half with 84 appearances, was a regular part of the squad before being left out of the tour of South Africa in summer 2018.

Despite playing against both the Springboks and New Zealand that autumn, as well as scoring a try against Japan, he was dropped for the match with Australia and did not feature in the last Six Nations.

Gloucester's Willi Heinz, Saracens' Ben Spencer, Wasps' Dan Robson and regular starter Ben Youngs are set to be the scrum-halves called into camp.

Along with Care, another experienced operator in 36-year-old Richard Wigglesworth is also thought to have been overlooked.

Flanker Robshaw was also a squad mainstay before having knee surgery in October and missing the autumn internationals.

The former England skipper has not played for his country since, with Mark Wilson and Brad Shields commandeering the blind-side flanker position.

Meanwhile, Northampton's uncapped back-rower Lewis Ludlam, 23, is understood to have shot into late contention.

Marler considering coming out of retirement

Meanwhile, prop Joe Marler is considering coming out of retirement for the showpiece in Japan.

The 28-year-old, who has 59 caps, announced the end of his international career in September in order to spend more time with his family.

But he is thought to be weighing up a return, and is again a part of England's Elite Playing Squad - which is not made public.

If he decides to make a comeback, Marler would not be named in the training squad until the start of July given he played for the Barbarians against an England XV on 2 June.

Owning a professional sprint car team is about as lucrative as owning a gym membership.

Sure, there’s always the exception, like when you have Donny Schatz driving or you’re that dude whose calves are like bricks because he eats, breathes and sleeps at the gym.

However, for the average person, it would likely be a better use of money to light it on fire, as at least that way it can keep you warm.

The thing is that, as humans, we aren’t scared away by dumping buckets of money into projects. Thankfully for the sprint car world, there are still car owners willing to spend.

Mikey Kuemper, who took co-ownership of the Steve Kinser Racing No. 11k along with veteran World of Outlaws NOS Energy Drink Sprint Car Series driver Kraig Kinser prior to the start of the 2018 season, estimates the average expenses for a team running the World of Outlaws tour is several hundred-thousand dollars per season.

“A full year, if you had three (crew) guys plus the driver, you’d be probably close to $300,000 to $400,000,” he said. “Last year, we spent $120,000 or $150,000. I can’t remember off the top of my head. That’s with us doing it the cheap way.

“The tire bill alone is $80,000 to $100,000. Hotels would be $20,000 to $25,000. Another big thing is diesel, which is $50,000 to $60,000 a year. Then you have the crew. Most teams have two guys in addition to the crew chief.”

Kuemper noted that a World of Outlaws crew chief makes roughly $800 to $1,200 per week. A car chief is in the $600-to-$800 range weekly, he said, and the tire person makes between $400 and $600 per week.

Those are a few of the costs — and it doesn’t include arguably the biggest expense of engine repairs and maintenance — associated with running a World of Outlaws-caliber race team.

While sponsorship money and race winnings vary from team to team, two of the key selling points of running full time with a traveling series are tow money and point fund money.

The World of Outlaws boasts a point fund of $650,000 spread throughout the top 20. The money is split 50-50 between car owner and driver, and a team has to be platinum members in good status — essentially show up to every race during the season — to be eligible.

Theoretically, the top 10 in the standings receive $500 tow money per race. Full-time competitors outside the top 10 receive $400 in tow money per race. There is a champion’s bonus, as well.

However, for multi-day shows, the team receives 50 percent on each day after the first.

“The way we have it worked up is five spots are guaranteed from the previous year’s points,” World Racing Group President Tom Deery said. “The top five are guaranteed $500. The next five in points get $500. The next 10 are eligible for $400. Whenever there is a second or third day, it’s 50 percent of that amount.

“I don’t know if there is a science or a formula (in determining those figures). We did a little map to figure out how many miles the teams traveled in the year and what that type of platinum benefit would represent against that.”

Additionally, platinum teams receive up to seven free pit passes for each race.

“It’s a pretty good benefit package right now,” Deery said. “When you figure it on a 90-event schedule, that’s $750 (for tow money and in free pit passes) an event off the top of your head. That’s close to $65,000 a year and then you add the point fund on top of it.”

Let’s crunch some numbers. Take the high end of what Kuemper said his team spent last year —$150,000. The World of Outlaws website has $87,725 listed as the team’s race winnings. If they had maintained a top-10 position in the points throughout the season, that equates to approximately $30,000 in tow money. Kuemper noted that the team’s point fund money for finishing 10th in the standings was $30,000.

Therefore, for a team that cuts costs by only having a crew chief — Kuemper — and a driver — Kinser — while avoiding hotels on most nights, they came out approximately $2,000 in the red, not counting sponsorship money.

“The tow money is what helps us get up and down the road,” Kuemper said. “The point fund money is what you use to help buy new stuff during the offseason so you head into the next year fresh. Paying more per race to start and to win is the biggest (reason for running with the World of Outlaws). You can offset the cost. You’re racing more and traveling more, but you’re still making more in the long run.”

CONCORD, N.C. – A game of bumper cars on a late restart left Carson Ferguson frustrated with a runner-up finish during round three of the Bojangles’ Summer Shootout on Tuesday.

Ferguson led 21 of the 25 laps in the headlining 25-lap Pro division feature, but was shuffled out of the lead on a four-lap dash to the finish.

VIDEO: Ferguson Chasing Summer Shootout Title

In fact, the North Carolina young gun was gone from the field by nearly a straightaway before the final caution waved for debris from Bryson Ruff’s machine that was hit into the racing groove on the back side of the Charlotte Motor Speedway frontstretch quarter-mile.

On the race-deciding restart with four to go, Ferguson had Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series star Bubba Wallace and Canadian Ryan Mackintosh in his rear-view mirror as he chased his second win in three starts.

Knowing he was going to have to play defense, Ferguson drove his No. 48 Ladyga Motorsports car deep into turn one on the final restart, but couldn’t get far enough away.

As the field entered turn one, Wallace shoved Ferguson through the corner in an attempt to muscle his way past the pole-sitter. After washing wide on corner exit, Ferguson retaliated in turn three, and shoved Wallace’s No. 76 in return.

As that duo played bumper cars in turn one the next time by, they got a little extra help from Mackintosh, who snuck past on the inside in a three-wide gambit to ultimately take the lead in his No. 03.

Ferguson quickly drove away from Wallace’s battered machine and ran down Mackintosh. With three laps to catch the leader, he drove into each corner deeper and deeper.

Off the final corner, Ferguson pulled alongside when Mackintosh broke loose. The duo took the checkered flag locked in a near-photo finish, with Mackintosh ahead by .049 seconds.

Ferguson chalked up the finish of the race to classic short track racing, though it didn’t come without a few post-race fireworks first.

After dominating the first 21 laps, Ferguson showed his displeasure immediately. He ran Mackintosh wide after the checkered flag waved and then brake-checked him multiple times on the cool-down lap.

The anger between the top three culminated in a shouting match in post-race tech.

“It was going to be our night tonight, but that’s short track racing, and there’s nothing you can do about it,” noted Ferguson. “You know when Bubba is behind you, it’s going to be coming. I was just holding on for the ride going into one.

“He moved me up the track,” Ferguson continued. “I got back to him in three. And (the move) going into one was just uncalled for. I had my back tires lifted off the ground by Mackintosh. I try to race everybody with respect, but after that, I guess you have to run some people the way they run you.”

Though he didn’t come away with the victory, a pole qualifying effort and runner-up finish in the feature did plenty to help erase the seven-point deficit Ferguson had to Joey Padgett coming into Tuesday’s third round of competition.

“It was a good points night,” Ferguson admitted. “I’m glad we were able to finish after getting dumped there. I think I was in Bubba’s windows with three to go. I couldn’t get back to Mackintosh.

“He overshot, mirror driving, going into three on the last lap. I just wish I could have filled that gap,” Ferguson added. “Overall it was a good night, though.”

As he made his way to victory lane for the mandatory top-five media availability, Ferguson smiled briefly before steeling his gaze and offering a strong statement to the field.

“It was our race with no cautions; we started on pole and were running away with it,” Ferguson explained. “I stretched it out … but I guess that’s the only way they could have beat us tonight. Timmy had this car on rails.

“It doesn’t matter what the finish says; they know who the best car here was.”

CONCORD, N.C. – The disqualification of Ross Chastain’s No. 44 Chevrolet from Sunday’s M&M’s 200 presented by Casey’s General Stores at Iowa Speedway was affirmed and upheld by the National Motorsports Appeals Panel on Wednesday.

Chastain’s win was the first to be stripped under NASCAR’s new-for-2019 rules policy, implemented during the offseason, which expedited post-race technical inspection from a mid-week process to a 90-minute teardown at the race track after the race.

As such, if a driver is found in violation of post-race technical inspection this year, their finishing position, stage points and any benefits are removed and that driver receives last-place points for the given event.

Chastain’s Niece Motorsports truck repeatedly failed tech for being too low in the front after the race on Sunday. The NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series, unlike the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, does have minimum ride-height regulations which must be met.

Due to the disqualification, Brett Moffitt was awarded Sunday’s victory, while Chastain lost the seven playoff points and automatic bid into the playoffs he would have received upon cracking the top 20 in Truck Series driver points, as well as only earning five points total.

Wednesday’s decision is final and cannot be appealed further, unlike other appeals for rule-violation penalties.

“In a race disqualification appeal, the decision of the panelist – which could be an appeals panelist, Final Appeals Officer, or his or her alternates, under Section 14 – will be considered final,” states section 14.6.f of the NASCAR rule book. “There is no ability to appeal the decision to the Final Appeals Office as outlined in Section 15.”

The appeal was heard by National Motorsports Final Appeals Officer Bryan Moss.

“Although our team disagrees with the decision, we have exhausted our options for recourse and must move on,” said team owner Al Niece. “Our sights will remain set on the obstacle in front of us – which is making the playoffs.

“I firmly believe that Ross and this Niece Motorsports team are capable of rising to the challenge, no matter what gets in our way.”

Chastain is simply ready to push forward and chase another win this weekend at World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway.

“This is actually very simple – Sunday is in the past,” Chastain said. “I’m focused on getting to Gateway and putting this Niece Motorsports truck in victory lane for the third time this year.”