The Melon Man did not qualify well. Only a lousy P16. Ross Chastain believes he has a much better car, however. In NASCAR, a single slip in qualifying may cost you a lot of positions.
Ross Chastain has only one top-five finish this season, far from his 2023 or even 2022 performance. Chastain hasn’t raced near the front since Las Vegas. Since then, he has not been horrible, but he has struggled to finish in the top ten.
So, why is Chastain optimistic about his chances this week? According to the Trackhouse Racing driver, he drives a top-five car. The only problem is that he’ll have to advance in the field to prove it.
“I got really loose off turn two,” Chastain confessed of his qualifying run to FOX Sports’ Bob Pockrass.
“For sure, I think we’re a top-five car,” he said when asked if he felt better than his P16 finish indicated.
Trackhouse Racing has not been as fast as it has been in the previous two seasons. Things are simply not clicking from their sim work and other prerace preparations to the actual race course. Chastain’s only 13-race streak with only one top-five finish came in 2021 with Chip Ganassi.
Ross Chastain’s expectations have not been met this season. But that doesn’t imply everything is falling apart. With a win on the horizon, he has the opportunity to turn things around. Nashville is just around the corner, and a win will allow him to make a postseason run for the championship.
The Enjoy Illinois 300 is another option. Both Chastain and his partner Daniel Suárez have struggled. The only difference is that Suárez has the Atlanta victory to draw on. Right now, the No. 1 squad has nothing to rely on except their point total, which could be problematic.
Aside from Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing, no one has truly found a steady groove. Every week, there are a lot of ups and downs with drivers and teams attempting to make it work. The only problem is that there’s only one winner on Sunday. Everyone else loses.
In 2022, Ross Chastain finished eighth in the Gateway race. He has prior experience and has demonstrated quickness in the last two years. He just needs to stay out of trouble, avoid blowing his brakes on this treacherous course, and finish the race.
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