Ross Chastain had 'frustrating' day of practice, qualifying in New Hampshire
After a tough day at the Magic Mile, Ross Chastain hopped on the mic to talk NASCAR Cup qualifying and watch the Xfinity Series. Joining PRN on the airwaves, Chastain was open and honest about his day in New Hampshire. The future Busch Light driver was not having fun on the mile track but will try to turn it around in the Crayon 301.
Starting all the way back in P31 after qualifying, Ross Chastain is going to have a long day ahead of him when the green flag drops. He’ll either make his way through the field and end the day with a solid result, or he’ll struggle all day in dirty air and have a tough 301 miles.
Overall, Chastain described his Saturday as “frustrating.” Things did not go as he liked and his team were unable to fix the issues they had before it was too late. Chastain will start just ahead of BJ McLeod and right behind Erik Jones for the Crayon 301.
“Frustrating, that would be my word of the day so far,” Chastain said on PRN. “The spray, I have to acknowledge the PJ1 and resin, they’ve not reapplied it the last two years and it’s showing. We’re sliding around a lot.”
The thing is, Ross Chastain’s teammate Daniel Suárez is not struggling. So, it might not be the car. It could be just how Chastain is handling things on this track. New Hampshire Motor Speedway did not add resin to the surface of the track. Drivers did find themselves sliding around in qualifying and practice. Kyle Busch touched the wall twice on Saturday.
Suárez is starting P11, after Busch goes to the rear for repairs. So, it isn’t a Trackhouse thing. I’m sure Chastain will talk to his teammate and figure out what he needs to do.
Ross Chastain has improved at New Hampshire
In his Cup Series career, Ross Chastain has raced at New Hampshire Motor Speedway four times. He doesn’t have nearly the same amount of experience as other drivers. Even Suárez has seven races on this Magic Mile track. So, what does the past tell us about Chastain and what to expect from him this weekend?
Well, his first two races in 2018 and 2019 at NHMS were with Premium Motorsports. He drove the No. 15 to a P32 start and a P25 finish in back-to-back seasons. Nothing but consistent, right? In 2021, with Chip Ganassi, Chastain qualified P20 and finished P8.
Guess what? Last season, Ross Chastain qualified P18 and finished P8. So, there has been an improvement. He’s been “consistent.” This will be a tough start for the No. 1 driver and crew. However, with a slick track, there will be chances to outdrive others and maybe get a lucky caution or two.
Chastain might not feel good about his chances now. I have a feeling he’ll be ready to drive his car to the front when the green flag drops, whether he has the speed to do it or not.