Ross Chastain during the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. (Photo: Christopher Vargas | The Podium Finish)
LAS VEGAS — For the first time since joining Trackhouse Racing, Ross Chastain does not have the most wins on the team as teammate Daniel Suarez went to Victory Lane a week ago at Atlanta Motor Speedway, winning the closest finish between the first through third place finishers in NASCAR history.
Granted, it has only been two races, but it still a first.
After showing a lot of speed in the first two races, Chastain entered this weekend’s Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube in eighth place in the NASCAR Cup Series point standings, searching for win number one in the 2024 campaign. Las Vegas has also been arguably Chastain’s best track since joining Trackhouse Racing ahead of the 2022 season, where in the four races driving the No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro, Chastain had three top fives and an average finish of 5.5.
Chastain would have his work cut out for him to reach those numbers, as even after a poor qualifying result of 20th on Saturday, due to unapproved adjustments before the race, the No. 1 Kubota Chevrolet Camaro would have to start in the rear of the field.
Once the race went green, Chastain began working his way up through the field, gaining seven positions up to 27th place in the opening 10 laps. After a caution on Lap 27 for Chris Buescher losing his right front tire and hitting the wall, differing strategies occurred with many, including Chastain pitting and some staying out to gain track position. Once the race restarted Chastain began his charge once again, breaking into the Top 10 and finishing eighth in Stage 1.
Stage 2 went green on Lap 89 with Chastain restarting in 13th after losing spots on pit road after the conclusion of the first stage. The race then entered a long green flag run, in which pit stops occurred with Chastain coming down pit road on Lap 120 for fresh tires and fuel.
A big problem occurred though as Chastain was penalized for speeding on the entrance to pit road, forcing the melon man to serve a drive-through penalty, losing a ton of track position, and falling a lap down.
Ross Chastin driving at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. (Photo: Myk Crawford | The Podium Finish)
On Lap 156, Christopher Bell’s No. 20 Interstate Batteries Toyota Camry went around, bringing out a yellow where Chastain and others could gain their laps back by taking the wave around when the leaders pit a few laps later. Chastain was able to ride around on old tires for the remaining laps of Stage Two, finishing in 27th.
Chastain came down pit road on Lap 168 for tires and fuel, giving him about a 10-lap newer tire advantage over the leaders when the final stage went green. On Lap 213, Chastain made his second-to-last pit stop, coming in under green, and continued to make his way back through the field, making it up to 15th by Lap 235.
A caution came out for Corey LaJoie when he spun in Turn 3. This brought all of the leaders down pit road where Chastain’s team made the call for two tires only, gaining 13 spots and would restart in second next to race leader Kyle Larson.
The race went green once again on Lap 241, where Chastain held his own for over a lap against Kyle Larson, who cleared him on Lap 242 and went on to win the race. Chastain was able to fight hard, only losing positions to Tyler Reddick and Ryan Blaney, and coming home with a top five, finishing fourth.
“This speed. I mean, the handling of the car is incredible for our Kubota Chevy.” Chastain said after the race. “It’s everything I wanted, dream about, and wake up and train for is to drive cars like this.”
Although Chastain was able to come back for a top five finish, the speeding penalty could have prevented an even better day.
“I passed a lot of cars today. That part I was smiling, but knowing I had a car to compete today, it just hurts,” he shared.
Today’s result moved Chastain up to fifth in the NASCAR Cup Series standings as the series heads to Phoenix Raceway next week on Sunday, Mar. 10 for the Shriners Children’s 500.
