Ross Chastain, already a crown jewel winner with his remarkable last-to-first triumph in this year’s Coca-Cola 600, is now focused on securing a Darlington win as the NASCAR Cup Playoffs kick off with the Southern 500. This weekend’s race at the iconic Darlington Raceway represents a major opportunity for Chastain to add a crucial victory to his resume and advance in the playoff standings.
Chastain’s Deep Connection and Long Road at Darlington
Darlington Raceway is a track that holds special importance for Ross Chastain. Speaking during Playoff Media Day, he expressed his admiration:
“It’s just absolutely top of my list. Whenever I look at tracks that I want to win at, and I want to work to be better at, Darlington is it. I’ve been through an incredible learning process since I first drove on that track (learning) how to drive it, and getting a Cup win there is absolutely top of my list.”
This elevated status is backed by multiple strong finishes; over the past four Southern 500 events, Chastain has placed between third and fifth on three occasions, narrowly missing the win in races such as the spring event a few years ago.
Despite consistent competitiveness, the elusive Cup victory at Darlington has slipped just out of reach for Chastain. His only win at the track in 2024 came in the NASCAR Truck Series, a success that helped to boost his profile but does not fully capture his Darlington story.
The Tumultuous History That Shaped Chastain’s Rise
Chastain’s breakthrough at Darlington came during a 2018 Xfinity Series race driving for Chip Ganassi Racing, where he dominated by winning both stages from pole and leading the majority of the event—until a dramatic clash with Kevin Harvick cut his run short. Harvick, a 2014 Cup champion, attempted a high-pressure maneuver to hold the lead that resulted in heavy contact in Turn 2, ending Chastain’s bid for victory prematurely.
In the aftermath, harsh words were exchanged. Harvick remarked,
“You’ve got a really inexperienced guy in a really fast car that made a really bad move, and then wrecked me down the back straightaway and hooked me to the right. Probably the reason he’ll never get to drive many of them again.”
—Kevin Harvick, Cup Champion
That incident marked a turning point for Chastain’s career. He is now about to make his 250th start in the NASCAR Cup Series and has ironically taken over from Harvick as Anheuser-Busch’s representative in the sport. Despite this progression, near-misses at Darlington have persisted. In 2020 and 2022, Chastain’s battles with Denny Hamlin ended in wrecks when vying for first place, once in the Xfinity Series and once in the Cup Series.
In 2023, several episodes underscored his tough luck and aggressive racing style at Darlington. Leading the Xfinity race late in the spring, an untimely pit stop cost him a prime position. One of the most memorable incidents came early that year during a Cup race, when Chastain, then leading the regular season standings, got tangled with Kyle Larson. Following a series of aggressive exchanges involving wall contact and a restart, both drivers wrecked badly, bringing heavy criticism down on Chastain, including from NASCAR’s prominent team owner Rick Hendrick.
Since then, Chastain has toned down his on-track intensity and become a more strategic driver. While his team, Trackhouse Racing, has seen its speed drop slightly, the driver’s experience and calculated aggression have evolved considerably.
Assessing the Chances of the No. 1 Car at Darlington
Chastain’s recent performance at the Coca-Cola 600 demonstrated his ability to methodically move through the field, patiently following race leader William Byron before making a decisive late pass to secure victory. Although the summer months have been challenging for the No. 1 team, Chastain believes his group can replicate that level of competitiveness in Darlington this weekend.
He expressed confidence, stating,
“we have the potential to pull on track at Darlington and have the same level of group that we had that Saturday (in Charlotte),”
and added,
I felt it into the first corner, off pit road in practice and rolled down in turn three, and when I came off turn four, I felt right away that the car had grip and then it was up to me to go make lap time. If we have that feeling at Darlington and that balance in the car, it’s going to be a fun weekend.”
Winning the Southern 500, especially after seven previous attempts, holds immense personal significance for Chastain. He explained:
“It would mean everything. I mean, it’s a life achievement, similar to winning the Coca Cola 600, but I put Darlington at the very top. So, any fall race — Southern 500 race — I will work a long time to win, whether that’s this year or sometime later in my career. I know when I get done, I’m going to put a full body of work into trying to win there, and whether we ever do it or not is to be determined.”
Besides the personal milestone, a Darlington victory would ease the pressure during the upcoming Round of 16 races. Chastain said,
“But short term, it would mean, say at World Wide Technology Raceway and Bristol (the other two races in the Round of 16), I would be walking around a whole lot lighter than if we don’t.”
This weekend’s Southern 500 at Darlington not only offers Chastain the chance to solidify his standing in the NASCAR Cup Playoffs but also represents an opportunity to claim a victory that has long eluded him. Delivering a strong performance here could define his playoff run and further establish his status among the sport’s elite drivers.
