When Joey Logano and Ross Chastain took part in Saturday’s media availability at Sonoma Raceway, it was very clear from their short answers to questions about last Sunday’s run-in at the Chicago Street Race that the disdain for each other hasn’t gone anywhere.
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And if that is any indication, could we see Round 2 of their battle from Chicago reignite on Sunday? Logano had the shortest answer of all when asked if he had reached out to Chastain since last weekend’s race in the Windy City.
“No, we haven’t talked,” Logano said. “It is what it is. He made his choices. I’ve just got to go race my car.”
Chastain has not reached out to Logano either, and doesn’t expect to talk to him before race day on Sunday in Sonoma. “I didn’t (feel the need to talk with Logano),” Chastain said. “He definitely aired all his grievances (in the media after the race).”
Logano had previously insisted that Chastain told him he intentionally wrecked him, something Chastain neither confirmed nor denied. While fans and media may have expected NASCAR to penalize Chastain in some manner, via a fine or loss of points, Chastain was rather matter-of-fact on what might or could have happened.
“I definitely think that NASCAR looked at everything, like they do every week,” he said. “I have conversations with NASCAR all the time. So there was nothing out of the ordinary. We talked about it and I think there’s three sides to every story.
“One side of it was a lot louder this week than the other. I think that a lot of people were all running into each other for the last couple laps. So, that’s what I saw.”
But Chastain continues to be stubborn, blaming Logano for the incident, even though it was Austin Cindric who began the original wreck. Chastain then subsequently punted Logano into Ricky Stenhouse Jr. to exact his revenge, despite ultimately being in error.
While neither Logano nor Chastain vowed revenge last Sunday, Dale Earnhardt Jr. believes Logano will return the punt from Chicago. But Earnhardt also indicated that Logano may not retaliate in Sonoma, but perhaps at a time when Chastain is least expecting it later in the season.
And that’s when Logano could hurt Chastain the most, particularly if payback comes during the 10-race NASCAR Cup playoffs.
“Joey will probably get Ross back at some point,” Earnhardt said. “It might be a year from now. It might be at some point. And we might not even notice or recognize it, but Joey will (do something), something will happen somewhere at a racetrack and it might just be Joey air-blocking Ross and costing him a few spots on a restart.”
But perhaps the best bit of advice came from analyst Steve Letarte. “If I’m Chastain, I’m calling Joey Logano this week (and) taking my butt-chewing,” said Letarte.
