Superspeedway tracks in NASCAR are a different breed of thrill. Being incredibly skilled doesn’t guarantee a driver a win on these venues. They create the epitome of dangerous, risky, and entertaining spectacles. The danger that these tracks present has led NASCAR to implement various safety measures over the years. But take away too much and the entire concept goes down the drain.
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Ross Chastain was asked at Talladega what can be done to reduce the chaos that Talladega and Daytona induce in the final laps. The Trackhouse Racing driver was aghast at the question, for he didn’t see any need to do that.
He said with exasperation, “Never build the track. I mean, it’s been chaotic since it was built. That’s why we love it. You don’t want boring races here. That would not be fun. If we ran a single file and not made passes at all? That wouldn’t be fun. So, let the chaos ensue!”
There have been plenty of instances where a driver has dominated the entire race at a superspeedway track only to get spun out of nowhere on the final lap. Drivers have been involved in accidents and have been forced to retire their cars due to no fault of their own.
As frustrating as these instances may be, they’re what make up these races. The unpredictable result that always seems to be lurking just around the corner is what keeps the audience on the edge of their seats. NASCAR already made a controversial decision by reducing the horsepower that cars ran with on these tracks. More efforts to curb chaos will result in plain old boredom.
Ross Chastain’s urgent need for a win
The No. 1 driver has secured five top-10 finishes in the season’s first nine races. This would be a decent run to bask over if the world didn’t know what Ross Chastain was capable of. His inability to reach Victory Lane yet has led many to speculate that it is the effect of Trackhouse Racing transitioning into a three-car team in 2025.
The inclusion of Shane van Gisbergen might have shifted team dynamics away from Chastain. He is bound to cancel out these talks and the only way to do that is by reaching Victory Lane. For the past several months, he has shown flashes of a more reserved version of his former aggressive self.
However, he needs to muster that character up again if he wants to have a shot at winning on Sunday at Talladega. Playing it safe will only take him so far.
