Ross Chastain: DC Solar 'Red Flags' Stun, Threaten 2019 Ride
Ross Chastain says what looked like a breakthrough partnership quietly unraveled after a series of early “red flags” around DC Solar exploded into a federal raid that upended his career trajectory. Chastain recalls running three races in DC Solar-backed equipment in 2018—including a win that helped land him a full-time ride for 2019—only to see the relationship collapse when the FBI executed search warrants at CEO Jeff Carpoff’s home days after a lavish company Christmas party.
The party, which featured high-profile guests and ostentation, gave way to silence from sponsors and a drip of bad news before the full scope emerged: Jeff and Paulette Carpoff later pleaded guilty to conspiracy, wire fraud and money laundering, and Jeff Carpoff received a 30-year sentence.
Chastain described warning signs that preceded the raid, including balky paperwork and promises that weren’t honored. He recounts his father questioning a rental buyback clause that hadn’t been fulfilled after five years—a deal amendment that left them uneasy. Those small doubts grew into acute problems when Chip Ganassi Racing shut down its Xfinity Series program just before the new year, leaving Chastain suddenly without a seat and exposing how fragile sponsorship-driven careers can be. For a driver who rose from a farming background in Florida, the loss of funding didn’t just threaten a season; it jeopardized the momentum he had finally built.
The episode underscored how motorsport depends on more than talent: it runs on funding, equipment and continuity. Chastain has often spoken about the grind of finding sponsors and how even modest budgets limit competitiveness—estimating that making a team competitive can cost roughly $50,000 a race—and the DC Solar fallout made that reality painfully clear. Though his footing is steadier today as a Trackhouse Racing Cup Series driver, Chastain says the experience left lasting lessons about due diligence, trust and the precariousness of sponsorships in NASCAR.
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