Trackhouse Racing’s drivers found themselves in unfamiliar territory. The last time Justin Marks’ team finished a Cup Series race with both drivers in the top five was over two years ago at the 2023 Auto Club 400. However, this time around, Daniel Suarez and Ross Chastain’s results were a bittersweet outcome, as both of them felt that a potential triumph was ripe for the taking. Unfortunately, fate had other plans.
While Daniel Suarez finished runner-up at the 2025 Pennzoil 400, Ross Chastain ended up 5th at the 1.5-mile track. Could the result have been different for the No. 1 Chevy driver if he had avoided a pit stop mishap in Vegas?
Ross Chastain reflects on what went wrong in Vegas
It seems like Ross Chastain’s unselfishness cost him dearly. The Florida native was determined to help his teammate, Daniel Suarez, secure a triumph at Las Vegas Motor Speedway when the Mexican was battling Josh Berry for the lead. The 32-year-old gave his teammate a friendly push, sacrificing his ambition in the process by taking the gamble. Unfortunately, it didn’t pay off, as the No. 99 Chevy struggled on short tracks, resulting in the Wood Brothers Racing driver taking the lead.
Had he decided against it, Ross Chastain could have attempted a three-wide move on Turn 3 in the final restart to potentially snatch a victory. Miscommunication also played a major role in the racer’s 5th-place finish, as he said, “I feel the last two weeks was super rusty in the car as far as communication. We didn’t have any blatant issues on the pit road. I was pitting, and Phil Surgen didn’t know I was pitting. We were just chatting about the balance, and I knew he didn’t know I was coming, but I thought we needed fuel. On my part, I need to stick to the plan.”
The strategy devised by Ross Chastain’s crew chief, Phil Surgen, seemed to be a race-winning one. The Florida native was driving fearlessly, taking a risky gamble of running out of fuel. Unfortunately, a late caution ended the penultimate run, forcing the racer to settle for his only top-five finish in his last 10 Cup Series appearances. Recalling the turning point of the race, the 32-year-old said, “If that last caution doesn’t come out, we win the race on fuel mileage with a fifth-place car. But it didn’t, and we still finished fifth.”
Ross Chastain finished fifth. What he said about the battle with William Byron in the final laps and what he feels he needs to improve on after the last few races. @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/CvRdVisR9q
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) March 17, 2025
However, Chastain can take plenty of positives from his performance in Vegas. The Trackhouse Racing driver started the race in 19th place, higher than his teammates, Daniel Suarez and Shane van Gisbergen. Knowing that climbing the grid positions would be key to standing a chance of winning, the racer managed to finish third at the end of Stage 2, accumulating 8 points in the process. While he didn’t manage to enter Victory Lane, the No. 1 Chevy driver will aim to build on the performance going into Homestead-Miami.
William Byron regrets competing against Chastain in Vegas
Missed opportunity. That’s what William Byron will think when he looks back at the 2025 Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. The Hendrick Motorsports driver was poised to mount a late challenge at the 1.5-mile oval but engaged in a heated duel with Ross Chastain toward the end, which killed his momentum. The No. 24 driver looked quick and well-placed ahead of the final restart but was subsequently blocked by the Trackhouse Racing star, allowing Ryan Preece to take the third spot.
Admitting that he wished the last few laps were done differently, Byron said in the post-race interview, “I just wish I wouldn’t have let him (Ross Chastain) get back to my left rear. I cleared him, and I kind of took my normal line into three, trying to get a good exit, and he just got to my left rear, and it dragged us back off the top two. He’s aggressive, he takes every each and you’ve just got to race that way with him. It was a good battle, I think.”
Eventually, William Byron and Ross Chastain’s heartbreak was Josh Berry’s gain. The former Stewart-Haas Racing driver secured Wood Brothers Racing’s 101st Cup Series win, securing an automatic berth into the playoffs. In a sport defined by fine margins, the smallest decisions can make all the difference between winning and losing. It’s a lesson both the racers learned the hard way in Las Vegas, but one that will serve them well in the season ahead.
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