Ross Chastain (No. 1) in reverse after taking out Denny Hamlin (No. 11) as Joey Logano (No. 22) drives past at the ROVAL. (Photo: Grady Lundberg | The Podium Finish)
CONCORD, N.C. — Ross Chastain was eliminated from the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs during the Bank of America ROVAL 400 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL, narrowly missing the Round of 8 cutoff by just four points.
The playoff fate for Chastain and the No. 1 team was sealed after multiple pit road mistakes, and a desperate move in the frontstretch chicane on the final lap.
“They expect so much more out of me,” Chastain said. “Justin (Marks) hired me to carry this (No.) 1 car, to drive it and be the leader, and I just completely unraveled our day. Unforced errors, just terrible.”
During the first stage break of the race, Chastain overshot the pit road exit, having to come to a stop in front of a tire barrier, losing 15 spots in the process. Later in the race, on Lap 87, he sped during his final green-flag pit stop of the race.
Ross Chastain during the Bank of America ROVAL 400 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL. (Photo: Chloe Gunn | The Podium Finish)
“I went off the end of pit road and didn’t turn,” he said. “Started the downfall there. Then, came out of the pit stall and double-clicked up into third.”
Still, he found himself above the cutline by one point over Joey Logano on the final lap. Logano’s team decided to stop twice during the final stint, compared to Chastain’s strategy to run long at the end of the race. In Turn 7, Chastain overdrove the corner, allowing Denny Hamlin to overtake him, putting Logano back in the final transfer spot via a tiebreaker.
“We definitely had the speed on the last lap and missed Turn 7,” he said. “I slid the rear tires and let the (No.) 11 (Hamlin) by. Just completely unacceptable.”
Needing a point to advance, Chastain “sent it” into the frontstretch chicane, taking out both himself and Hamlin short of the start/finish line. Chastain instantly put his No. 1 car in reverse to finish the race, but the damage was already done as he lost multiple positions,and finished in 21st place.
Ross Chastain (No. 1) and Denny Hamlin (No. 11) after crossing the start/finish line in reverse to end the Bank of America ROVAL 400. (Photo: Chloe Gunn | The Podium Finish)
The final result ended Trackhouse Racing’s playoff run as a whole, as teammate and race winner Shane van Gisbergen was eliminated in the Round of 16.
“I’m sure the (No.) 11 (Hamlin) is mad,” said Chastain. “I would be too. He got by me clean and was giving me room, and I wiped him out.”
Hamlin, when asked about the incident, was not upset at Chastain over the move to try to advance. His main frustrations came from not knowing about the points scenario on the final lap, to try and potentially avoid being wrecked.
“I don’t fault Ross (Chastain) at all,” said Hamlin. “I just wish I knew, so I could’ve been either prepared or made a different decision.”
Ross Chastain missed advancing to the Round of 8 by four points at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL. (Photo: Grady Lundberg | The Podium Finish)
Looking back on the day, Chastain took full responsibility for the mistakes that led to his playoff run coming to an end, which helped him come to terms with the situation as a whole.
“Knowing that no one else had a hand in it but me,” Chastain said. “I can go to bed knowing that they’re building me to be the best I can be. But I’ve got to make those right decisions in those moments.”
Even with the disappointment of not advancing, Chastain acknowledged that there is still time to pull off a victory this season.
“It’s terrible to get to this level and not perform,” he said. “When you watch, learn and study for half your life to get here and to fail is a terrible feeling. I just have to wake up tomorrow and go back to work, though.”
