Surprising revelations have surfaced in Phoenix. The NASCAR community witnessed history being made on Sunday. Ross Chastain became the first non-championship driver to win the season finale since the introduction of the playoff format in 2014. Considering all aspects, it was a great sight for the sport. Chastain displayed grit and determination to fend off Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney with some great racing to see.
However, according to some recent reports, NASCAR was unhappy with the #1 driver hogging the limelight ahead of the soon-to-be champion. Chastain refused to budge from the lead despite Blaney going hot on his heels and even trying to bump him en route to the finish line. Amidst the controversy, Hendrick Motorsports legend and NBC commentator and analyst Steve Letarte has also pointed out NBC Sports’ negligence of Chastain, who got overshadowed by the hype for a Blaney win in Phoenix.
Steve Letarte highlights NBC Sports’ ignorance toward Ross Chastain’s historic feat
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Before Phoenix, Ross Chastain had led only one lap in the last nine races. With his previous win on his home track in Nashville, only a few expected him to shine brighter than any other driver on Sunday. But cometh the hour, cometh the man. Chastain dominated the race and maintained the lead for 157 out of 312 laps, or more than half of the race time. This sublime yet unexpected performance is what surprised Steve Letarte.
Revealing his podcast partner, Chopper’s predictions, the NBC commentator said, “The real issue is a non-championship winner. Chop called it. He just had the wrong guy. He had Denny Hamlin. Instead, it was Ross the Boss Chastain going to victory lane. I was shocked.”
As his co-host pointed out, Ross Chastain and his win were buried under the celebrations for Blaney’s win instead. Despite being the main character of a historic moment, the #1 Chevy driver was neglected by NBC Sports, which is the primary broadcaster for NASCAR. Most of the spotlight and cameras were directed towards the new Cup Series champion instead, downplaying Ross’ feat.
“I saw that on social. Like you know, Ross won the race. I’m like, no, I don’t. Did he? How’d he do? We didn’t even have Ross Chastain’s name in the final lap. It was Ryan Blaney to the championship.“ said Letarte.
As Letarte implied, the favoritism was quite obvious on NBC. Following the reports of a NASCAR official questioning Chastain’s spotter during the race, some serious conversations might be coming.
Ross Chastain hopes to bank on the Phoenix win to gear up for 2024
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Trackhouse Racing is a relatively young team in the Cup Series. Founded in 2021 by team owner Justin Marks and international megastar Pitbull, the team has surpassed expectations with every passing season. In 2022, Ross Chastain pulled off the iconic ‘Hail Melon’ move and dove into the Championship 4 race. For a team to improve that much in a single season is an incredible development.
While 2023 hasn’t been as favorable as the previous year, the team has had its moments. Winning the Cup Series finale to break the record for non championship drivers is surely one of them. Chastain believes this win could go a long way in pushing them forward.
“We sustained that level of competition,” said Chastain. “We’ve had our fair share of eighth-place days, 18th-place days, and sometimes 22nd-place days, straight up. Yeah, it’s just a continuation, and we’re staying here. We’re not going away.“
Tip your cap to the No. 1 car. @RossChastain led 157 laps Sunday, the most he's led in a single race ever.
This win also marks the second consecutive season Ross has had multiple victories. pic.twitter.com/Mwv9iMxvtk
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) November 7, 2023
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“Like, we’re disruptive on track usually by my driving, but it goes with the disruptiveness of Justin and (co-owner) Pitbull and our leadership team doing things differently, having a real presence in Nashville, keeping a presence there on Broadway for something outside of Charlotte and Concord and the Lake Norman area. Our shop’s in Concord and all of our employees are there except for Justin and the brain trust of the marketing side.”
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Speaking on his feelings about his tenure with the team and how his future could shape up shortly, the 30-year-old added, “Yeah, I just love that we’re staying here and we’re continuing to be fast. Our processes are working. We trust ’em, and we continue to see it through.”
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Apart from their progress in the premier competition, they have broadened the horizon for racers entering the scene. Shane van Gisbergen winning on his NASCAR debut in Chicago was the prime example. Should Trackhouse Racing continue to improve at this rate, it could be one of the powerhouses in no time.