The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season has been particularly challenging for Ross Chastain, who remains the sole championship contender within the Trackhouse team. While Trackhouse’s Chevrolets have excelled on road courses, especially with Shane van Gisbergen, their inability to consistently deliver fast cars on oval tracks has hindered Chastain’s performance. This gap has forced him to exceed the car’s limits just to stay competitive.
Following the recent race at Kansas, NASCAR analyst and former crew chief Steve Letarte shared insights into the ongoing struggles faced by Chastain. Letarte pinpointed the lack of a consistently strong teammate as a major obstacle derailing Chastain’s growth, highlighting how teammate Daniel Suarez’s underperformance has left Chastain isolated on the track. As Suarez prepares to depart Trackhouse at the end of the season, uncertainty clouds the team’s future cohesion.
Although Shane van Gisbergen sets a high standard on road courses and has shown progress, his impact on oval tracks remains limited. The arrival of rookie Conor Zilisch in 2026 offers promise but is unlikely to provide the fierce intra-team competition Chastain needs to improve his oval results in the near term.
How a Lack of Strong Teammates Is Impacting Chastain’s Progress
Steve Letarte highlighted that the absence of fast, reliable teammates is a key factor hampering Ross Chastain’s development this season. He noted that while van Gisbergen “is the bar” on road courses, Chastain lacks comparable support on ovals, explaining,
“For the [No. 1] of Ross Chastain, I’ll be honest, I think the lack of high-speed teammates hurts. I think SVG, when you go to the road course, he is the bar. He had a great run going [at Kansas before finishing 10th]. So, I think he’s improving.”
This deficiency is compounded by Suarez’s inability to back up Chastain when challenges arise during races. Trackhouse has become predominantly a one-driver team, fighting an uphill battle against larger, multi-car organizations that benefit from internal competition and collaborative strategy. Letarte expressed this frustration, stating,
“When you get lost and you can’t see the forest through the trees, you need something to lean on. And I’m just not sure that Ross Chastain has that [in terms of support from Suarez]. I think he’s kind of the one guy fighting against a lot of multi-car organizations.”
Team Dynamics and the Challenge of Building Consistency
The current team setup leaves Chastain struggling to balance his raw talent with the performance limits imposed by his equipment and squad support. With Suarez exiting at season’s end and van Gisbergen’s strengths confined largely to road courses, Chastain’s prospects rely heavily on individual effort amid an often unsupportive environment. Meanwhile, sophomore driver Conor Zilisch’s upcoming arrival offers long-term promise but is unlikely to fuel immediate intra-team rivalry strong enough to push Chastain on oval tracks.
Advice from Steve Letarte for Chastain’s Battle Against Joey Logano
Looking ahead to the upcoming race at the Charlotte Roval, Chastain faces stiff competition from 2022 champion Joey Logano, who currently leads him by 13 points. Letarte advised that Chastain needs to focus on better qualifying performances and maintaining pressure on Logano throughout the contest rather than trying to force a win through risky maneuvers.
He stressed aggressive qualifying as key, explaining,
“If I’m the No. 1 team, I am making Joey Logano outrun us. Make Joey Logano protect those 13 points. It starts in qualifying. If I’m the No. 1 and I outqualify Joey Logano, I could take 13 points to (just) seven or eight or nine. Right after stage one, I am making sure that Joey Logano feels the pressure of advancement. Make him advance, right? Don’t give it to him.”
Letarte also cautioned against a “must-win” mentality for Chastain, warning that pushing too hard can lead to costly mistakes. He recommended controlled aggression, stating,
“Because if you’re Ross Chastain and you think it’s a must-win and you drive off track or you try too hard, then you let Joey Logano coast. The last thing we want is prevent defense. Let’s not let up. Don’t try so hard that you force yourself into a mistake.”
Implications for Chastain’s Championship Pursuit
These observations underline the precarious position Ross Chastain currently occupies within the NASCAR Cup Series. Being the last hope for Trackhouse places immense pressure on him to perform without the support systems enjoyed by drivers within larger multi-car teams. The limited speed and consistency from teammates, combined with Trackhouse’s struggles on ovals, explain why Chastain’s 2025 campaign has been so turbulent.
With the addition of Conor Zilisch in 2026 unlikely to immediately alter team dynamics, Chastain may need to rely heavily on maintaining composure and strategic racing to close the points gap against veterans like Joey Logano. How well he adapts to Letarte’s advice and leverages his remaining opportunities, especially at critical venues like Charlotte, could determine whether his challenges in 2025 translate into long-term growth or continued frustration.
