Ross Chastain speaks out about COTA incident with Chase Elliott

Last week at COTA, Ross Chastain made a terrible move on the inside of Turn 1 on Lap 1 and caused a mess with Chase Elliott. This week, the NASCAR driver is answering questions about his strange divebomb.

Over the last few years, we have seen Ross Chastain step over the line. It is part of what makes him so good on the race track. However, the move at COTA was too much.

Following a week where drivers were yelling at young Carson Hocevar about his driving, including a talking to from Chastain himself, the No. 1 car made a bonehead move. Chastain talked to the media about the incident.

“When I watched the overhead view, yeah, I’m the outlier,” Chastain said, via Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports. “I’m the furthest left and I’m the fastest. So, yeah, it was an error. When I went inside the 5 [Kyle Larson], I thought we were slow enough from the restart zone and it was not the case. So, I get to take that, I get to live with that. But yeah, from the outside it doesn’t look good. The intention was… it was an error, a big error. To go to the bottom of 5 [Larson] that was not necessary.”

The fact that Ross Chastain didn’t take questions last week about the incident is a bad look, too. He also laid over for Chase Elliott, knowing the 9 car was out for revenge. Chastain knows now what he did wrong.

“Well with risk there’s always reward,” Chastain continued. “That move was a bad move, I don’t know how else to say it. In the moment I felt in control until the last third of the brake zone. I mean, I started locking the rear and not being able to be as slow as I wanted to. So, yeah, when I watch it back I would stay behind the 5 if I could do it again. I don’t know what else to say but with any risk there is reward on the track but obviously that one cost me more than what it was worth.”

Ross Chastain is at his best when he is aggressive. However, he has to control that speed and aggression. At COTA, he didn’t do that. It not only hurt Chase Elliott, but also hurt Chastain’s teammate, Connor Zilisch.

This week at Phoenix, Chastain should be in the mix for the win. Trackhouse has had speed at this track in recent years. Will that give Chastain more opportunities to step over the line?