These bracket-busters are throwing a wrench into the plans of the NASCAR Cup title combatants, stealing valuable points and race wins. Chris Buescher did it first at Watkins Glen, and now Ross Chastain, who has been a constant presence at the front since just missing out on being a part of the 2024 title fight. Chastain ran inside the top-five for the majority of the playoff opener at Atlanta and nearly pushed teammate Daniel Suarez to win there. He then earned pole position and led half the race at Watkins Glen before Buescher bested Shane van Gisbergen with a dramatic last-lap pass.
Chastain had actually scored more points than every driver besides Alex Bowman in the Round of 16 before opening up the Round of 12 with this impressive victory, smashing a watermelon for the fifth time in his NASCAR Cup career. His win denied the remaining title contenders safe passage into the next round and all will now have to face Talladega with caution and uncertainty.
Ross Chastain, Trackhouse Racing, Kubota Chevrolet Camaro in victory lane
Photo by: Rusty Jarrett / NKP / Motorsport Images
This isn’t new territory either. Chastian has played the role of spoiler in NASCAR’s championship fight before, and in a very big way. After falling out of contention in the Round of 12 last year, he did something no driver had done in ten years of the current format — he took the fight to the Championship 4 drivers in the title-decider and ran off with the race win.
And at Kansas, he denied fellow Chevy driver and title hopeful William Byron the victory, a fact that is not lost on Chastain.
“Well, it’s tough because in the moment I’m looking in the rearview camera, and I see the 24 [Byron] and 48 [Alex Bowman]. I see the 24 most notably. William is a guy that I want to see win. I want to see him succeed. He is one of the few guys that I can say I’m buddies with, and we are kind of aligned in life. Although we come from different backgrounds, we kind of came to the central point, and we get along more than I get along with most people
“Would I have loved to see the 24 drive into victory lane and lock himself into the round of 8? Sure, but not enough to pass the 1 car because I’m driving it,” said Chastain. “It was everything that I could do to stay in front of him, and there was times where he would gain on me.”
Always the disruptor
When Chastain took on the title contenders in last year’s finale, he drew the ire of Ryan Blaney who
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