“I Let It Hurt” – Ross Chastain’s Unbelievable Drop in Form Has the Driver Contemplating His Chances in 2024

One of the racers who was expected to have a good 2024 season is definitely Ross Chastain. Believe it or not, the Trackhouse Racing star has had quite a forgettable run up until now. While he has sprinkled some Top-10 and Top-5 finishes here and there, the last six races have seen an evident dip in form for the #1 driver. In a recent podcast appearance, he was asked about his progress in the season and he didn’t hesitate to accept that it was indeed bad and that though he has a fast car, the results haven’t beent that good.

Ross Chastain on what’s coming next for the team 

It’s safe to say that the Trackhouse racing star has potential, which he has proven repeatedly. But the scorecard doesn’t lie and right now it’s not looking too good for him. Sitting down with NASCAR Live, he was candid and forthcoming about what’s next for him and the team. 

The #1 racer addressed his declining position and said, “So, a little bit more, little balance, little less disparity front to rear, side to side of tire’s sliding, and we’ll get into the top five. And I feel like once you’re in the top five, then you’ve got shots (at winning) every week.”

Furthermore, he didn’t shy away from expressing how difficult it was for him to accept a defeat in a race and move on. He said, “I mean I take the bad, I let it hurt, I let it marinate Sunday night and really feel it, and it hurts to travel home and go to bed and watch that race back Monday morning, Sunday night, whenever. I feel like doing it whenever I am mentally ready to do it. Good or bad finishes are often not the same time I look back at the race, so I have to put it away sometime.”

Despite his disappointment, the racer believes that enforcing minor changes could bring about noteworthy improvements. He shared, “I think we’ve got opportunities to win. I think that our best one so far had been Las Vegas, and I sped on pit road and took us out. But we were capable of running with the #5 and #45. We still finished third (on track) on two tires, but I believe we were capable before that of running with them and beating them on all fours.” 

He very well did have a chance to make it in Vegas. But his penchant for always pushing the limits cost him the win. Moreover, what happens in Vegas tracks does not stay in Vegas—especially on the racetrack. His little speeding stint was caught right on!

What went down in Vegas for Ross Chastain 

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Chastain entered the Las Vegas Motor Speedway with a lot of confidence. After all, he finished top-five in three of the last four races right there. But it went catapulting down quickly after the qualifying. His team decided on a day before race day to re-wrap the hood of the car as they noticed it flapping at top speed. This is all good and fine—but it was an unapproved adjustment! He ended up being penalized and had to start the race at the rear of Sunday’s Pennzoil 400.  

But he still had the grit and determination. However, his speed ended up being the reason for his despair. After starting from the rear, he managed to make it to the eighth position. But he was caught speeding in the pit lane and had to serve a penalty. 

After the penalty, he pushed his car to the limit, trying to catch up with Larson, and ended up with burned tires. Meanwhile, Larson just sped away. However, from this point on, he went to have some luck by his side. First Christopher Bell spun and other teams decided to pit, while he didn’t. Then Corey LaJoie spun with just 33 laps remaining. This is when his crew chief took the executive call to change the two tires to gain some track position. While he didn’t win the race, that decision proved to be vital because he ended up being in 4th position–the best of his season yet.

It was truly a missed opportunity and he himself blames only him. He said, “That took us out of contention with how the day went. We were strong enough to fight with [Kyle Larson] and [Tyler Reddick], and I took us out of that. I cannot believe that I did that.”

Perhaps, sometimes, slowing down can lead to better outcomes on the track. What are your thoughts on his performance? Let us know!