NASCAR Insider Rings the Bell of Caution for Ross Chastain as His Playoff Hopes Get a Reality Check
The NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono made big changes to the playoff grid. Heading into the weekend, Ross Chastain was comfortably in the mix for a postseason spot based on points, but that looks far from certain after his third DNF of the season. The Trackhouse Racing driver broke loose in Turn 3 in the 53rd lap at Pocono Raceway, his No. 1 Chevrolet Camaro making contact with the outside retaining wall, ending Chastain’s day.
Chastain entered the 400-mile race at Pocono Raceway with a 53-point cushion relative to the playoff elimination line. After the race, he has slipped behind Chris Buescher as the last driver in the playoff grid and is now just 27 points ahead of Bubba Wallace, with five races of the regular season remaining. With his playoff hopes looking increasingly uncertain, a NASCAR insider has issued a warning sign for the melon man.
With two DNFs in the past three weeks, the Trackhouse Racing driver hasn’t finished higher than 22nd in his last three races. Meanwhile, competing for the playoff spot is 23XI Racing driver Bubba Wallace, who finished 10th at Pocono Raceway, securing his second top-10 result in the last three races. The 30-year-old is two spots behind Ross Chastain in the driver standings, but with momentum on his side, that could change when NASCAR heads to Indianapolis Motor Speedway next.
