“[Ross Chastain] just races like a jack— every week, and I keep paying the price. I’m sick of paying the price.” These were Joey Logano’s words after facing Ross Chastain’s antics at Martinsville. And just eight races in, Chastain has gotten into hot waters with quite a few drivers, like how he spun Chase Elliott on the very first turn in COTA. And his hard racing has continued in the Xfinity race in Darlington. This time, it was Christopher Bell ‘paying the price.’ But is it even surprising? If Chastain is close to you, you got to be careful. That’s a given.

The watermelon farmer’s entire persona is hard racing. That’s why Dale Earnhardt Jr. saw the next ‘Intimidator’ in him. But, carelessly wrecking drivers was not Dale Sr.’s style. He did it with poise. And we knew drivers couldn’t stay away from the infamous ‘Darlington stripe’ for too long in the race. But getting it yourself, by your own mistakes, is one thing, and having given it to you is another. Sadly, Bell’s wasn’t self-earned!

Ross Chastain ruins Christopher Bell’s day!

For the folks who don’t know, Darlington Raceway is a lot like Homestead Miami. The walls are tight and close in on you, hence, drivers brush against it and get the Darlington stripe. And since the top line is the fastest, you need to be there. And that’s what happened between Chastain and Bell. So, in the final few laps of the race, Brandon Jones is leading, and Bell is on his tail. But Chastain was eager to take on the leader as well. And to be honest, Chastain had a good speed at Darlington all day; he remained at the top. Anyway, he took the inside line to make a pass on Bell.

However, while squeezing back to the top line, he did not give Christopher Bell any room and sandwiched him between the outside wall. Bell’s car was in smoke with his left front damaged. Eventually, Chastain finished the race in P4, and Bell ended in P25 and naturally, the Oklahoma native was disappointed. In the post-race interview, he told FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass, “Yeah, he [Ross Chastain] just didn’t leave me a lane. Same move we have seen a couple of times from him.” When asked if it was a big deal, Bell said, “Certainly, if it happens on Sunday, it will be a big deal. I’m disappointed that he raced me like that. Ross and I have been really good for a while now. And I didn’t expect that from him. But it’s a Saturday race, and we were just racing hard for the win.”

At the end of the day, the Xfinity Series race on Saturday is like a practice run for the Cup Series drivers. While the cars are vastly different, they can get a feel for how the track is reacting and better prepare for their run on Sunday. While Chastain’s moves did ruin Bell’s race, the implications are not as severe as a Cup Series race, which would have cost Bell valuable points. This allowed Bell to have a much calmer view of the incident as compared to his rant on the Xfinity Series race at Martinsville last week.

Also, Chastain knows he wronged the Joe Gibbs Racing driver. Admitting his mistake post the race, he said, “I haven’t seen the replay, but I don’t think I left him enough room. I hurt his day and crinkled our fender, too.” After seeing the video, he confirmed. “Yeah, pinched him for sure. I need to leave him a little more room.” It might be safe to say that the Chastain we know and the one that fans love is finally here.

Trending

1

Ex- NASCAR Driver Announces Split From Wife of Over 10 Years With Exciting News for His Fans

2

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Limps Across the Finish Line as JR Motorsports Outmaneuvers 21 YO Phenom

3

Joe Gibbs’s Downed Grandson Bounces Back with Denny Hamlin Revealing the Secret Behind His Comeback

4

Richard Childress Racing Left With a Major Exposé as Confidential Kyle Busch News Leaks Away

5

“I Didn’t Have the B—” – Denny Hamlin Reveals the Moment Kyle Larson Stole Bristol Away From Him

Is the real Ross Chastain back?

Chastain became an instant fan favorite after he joined Trackhouse Racing in 2022. And it was for being as raw as a driver can be. Who can forget how he made it to the championship 4 that season? Wall-riding at Martinsville to make up 5 positions on the final turn as he edged Denny Hamlin out of the Championship race. And it wasn’t just that; his run-ins with Cup veterans Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin were nonchalant. Noah Gragson even got punched. That was his persona, and fans were loving it. But then, in 2023, he had to dial it down.

You can’t wreck NASCAR’s favorite drivers and get away with it. Well, look at Denny Hamlin; that made him the most hated driver in the sport. But Chastain did not care about it. His antics were the same, be it Chase Elliott or Larson. Until Rick Hendrick warned him. Mr. H was clear: “I don’t care if he’s driving a Chevrolet if he wrecks our cars. I don’t care. I’ve told Chevrolet that. If you wreck us, you’re going to get it back. If you don’t do it, they’ll run all over you.” 

And he did keep it down for a while, like how he let Chase Elliott just pass at COTA this year when he came looking for retribution. But now in Darlington, he even raced Elliott the same way as he did to Bell. During a restart in the final stage of the race, Ross Chastain attempted a slider on Chase Elliott while they were racing inside the top 5. Chastain pushed Elliott too deep, causing him to lift, but Elliott still made contact with the outside wall. Elliott was not happy about it. But he did not say much about it. Probably since it was Xfinity, had it been in the Cup Series, we know how that would go.

Let’s see if Ross Chastain brings the same energy to the race on Sunday. What do you think of Chastain’s antics? Share with us in the comments below.