‘It stings and hurts,’ Ross Chastain, disappointed after doing everything right only to lose the race to Kyle Busch

Ross Chastain also had a real shot at winning the race in Daytona 500 last Sunday as well.

‘It stings and hurts,’ Ross Chastain, disappointed after doing everything right only to lose the race to Kyle Busch

Ross Chastain (Credits: @NASCAR/Twitter)

Ross Chastain’s chase for his first Cup race win of 2023 continues as yet another dominant run got wasted. Chevy drivers Chastain and Busch were a class apart at Fontana. The No:1 Trackhouse Racing driver led 91 laps at Fontana and won both stages. But as the race went on, his Camaro ZL1 started getting loose while Kyle Busch started gaining on him in the No:8 RCR.

The Two times Cup series champion was sent to the back of the grid in the race’s early stages due to a speeding penalty. He was able to catch up to Chastain in the final stage, and with 34 laps left to race, Busch took over the lead. He was able to hold on to it as both drivers pitted together. Busch reclaimed the lead and won while Chase Elliott outraced last season’s championship runners-up for P2.

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The watermelon man pointed out that he had a balanced car though it got loose towards the end. He said, “He got faster. I don’t know. Our balance was building loosely most of the day, so I thought we did everything right. We kept up with it. It would just build pretty loose late in the runs. And at times, it was enough, and at times it got way better. I felt like we were the steady force – our Kubota Chevy was,”.

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Chastain added that unlike 2022, where he had a disastrous start to the campaign coming close to wins in 2023 hurts. He said, “To start off this year, the way we have is a 180 from last year when it was not like this. So as much as it stings, as much as it does hurt, hats off to Chevrolet for a top four there, and (I’m) pumped to be in this position with Trackhouse. For our first crack at the big tracks here, it’s all we can ask for. We will regroup and study and be back next week,”.

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Daniel Suarez
Daniel Suarez

Ross Chastain’s Trackhouse Racing teammate Daniel Suarez also had a solid outing at Fontana. He could keep up with his teammate though out the day and fished P4, a place behind the No:1 car. If not for a few minor mistakes from the Mexican that cost them valuable seconds, the No:99 could have been in contention for the win or probably would have been able to assist Chastain in the end.

“I’m very, very proud of everyone at Trackhouse Racing. They keep building very fast race cars, and it’s a lot of fun to race like this. My No. 99 Freeway Insurance Chevy team did a great job on pit road with strategy and adjustments,” Daniel Suarez said.  

“I feel like I made a few mistakes today that maybe cost us a shot at the win, feel like our car was capable of running up front, but I just made too many mistakes.. Ijust have to clean up a few things on my end, and I’m sure we’ll come back next weekend with another shot,” Daniel Suarez added.

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