Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain was pegged to be a consistent playoff contender following his heroics in 2022 and 2023 when he finished second and ninth in the driver standings. But 2024 proved to be a disappointing year. He did not make the playoffs and finished 19th in the standings. Heading into 2025, he is adamant about not falling in such a manner again.
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In a recent interview with Fox Sports, he said that the loss of team morale was visible in every face in the No. 1 team’s garage at the end of 2024’s final regular season race in Darlington. He added, “When the 1 team, something as simple as the windshield banners and the playoffs stickers aren’t on the car, it was terrible.”
After not qualifying for the playoffs in 2024, Ross Chastain looks to 2025 and what he needs to do and what Trackhouse needs to do for improved performance. @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/djGv14tKZR
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) February 6, 2025
The opportunities were there to make things happen. In Nashville, in Vegas, and other venues. But Chastain couldn’t find it in him to close things. Some kind of hindrance always appeared out of the blue and derailed his efforts. At the end of the year, he had one win (at Kansas in the postseason), six top 5s, and 14 top 10s.
He was particularly proud of the resilience that his team displayed in grabbing victory honors in Kansas. But the pain of the win coming a tad bit too late was apparent as he continued, “I don’t ever want to feel that again and I’ve worked really hard since then to not ever let that happen again.” Moving forward, Chastain has his eyes set on the Daytona 500.
“I get to try to take it.”
In the last Daytona 500, Chastain almost saw victory. He was close to getting the white flag, but spun out and lost his chance. He told Fox News Digital that he would look to avoid such mistakes this time. Moreover, he sees the high value that the Great American Race as being the first points-paying event of the entire season.
He said, “When we’re on the pre-race stage, and we walk out, it’s the first time that the season’s starting. So much opportunity is right there in front of me, and I get to try to take it.” It is a game of survival through 500 miles at the end of the day. Chastain’s best finish in a Daytona 500 is seventh place, which came in 2021.
At the very least, he will seek to better that record. The fire that he has burning in him to not let his team down again will fuel his Chevrolet Camaro as he takes the field on February 16.
