Ross Chastain took full responsibility for his NASCAR Cup Series playoff elimination following Sunday’s race at Charlotte. Addressing his mistakes in the critical moments that cost him a spot in the Round of 8, Chastain described the outcome as both heartbreaking and unacceptable, emphasizing the impact of errors during the race.
Chastain Reflects on Pit Road Errors That Led to Playoff Exit
During the race, Chastain made two significant mistakes on pit road, beginning with speeding and then failing to make a necessary turn at the end of pit road. Explaining his miscalculations, he said,
“I’d restart the whole day. For our Busch Chevy, Trackhouse Racing, they expect so much more out of me,”
Ross Chastain said.
“To speed on pit road, I went off the end of pit road and didn’t turn. I thought I had more room and just trying to get to the yellow line, and just completely started the downfall there, and then came off out of the pit stall and double-clicked up into third.”
These errors triggered a series of setbacks that ultimately undermined his chances to continue in the playoffs.
Despite these setbacks, Chastain remained competitive late in the race and was positioned above the cutoff line entering the final lap. However, Denny Hamlin overtook him, which enabled Joey Logano—then just below the cut line—to surpass Chastain in the standings and advance by a margin of four points.
Chastain’s Commitment to Improvement After Disappointing Outcome
Post-race, Chastain expressed frustration over letting down his team and supporters, acknowledging the high expectations set by Trackhouse Racing.
“Unforced errors. Just terrible. It’s heartbreaking for almost 200 employees at Trackhouse… Justin [Marks] hired me to carry this 1 car and drive it, and be a leader, and I just completely unraveled our day. We definitely had the speed…Not acceptable,”
he said.
He also admitted the importance of staying alert and avoiding mistakes during crucial moments.
“So I can go to bed knowing that they’re building me the best I can be, but I got to make those right decisions in those moments where I’m not on autopilot, but when I come out of the pit stall, I’m just getting to my lights and I pulled twice,”
Chastain stated.
Explaining the simplicity of what went wrong, he added,
“When I went to the end of pit road, I didn’t turn because I wanted to get to the end of the yellow line, and I needed to just turn the wheel. It’s really simple. It’s terrible to get to this level and not perform. When you watch, and you learn, and you study for half your life to get here, to fail is a terrible feeling right now. I will wake up tomorrow and go right back to work.”
Chastain’s Playoff Journey and Future Prospects
Ross Chastain secured his playoff berth this year by winning the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte in May. This season, he was aiming to capture his first NASCAR Cup Series championship, after finishing as runner-up in 2022 and placing ninth in 2023. While he failed to make the playoffs during the 2024 regular season due to a winless run, his success in May had kept his championship hopes alive until the latest elimination.
With his deep disappointment clear, the coming races will test Chastain and Trackhouse Racing’s ability to rebound from a difficult end to their playoff hopes. His statement shows determination to learn from mistakes and improve in the seasons ahead.
