Ross Chastain once again riled up a rival driver during Sunday’s Goodyear 400 at Darlington, and not for the first time.
Chastain left Kyle Larson’s crew fuming when he put Larson into the wall with six laps to go in Sunday’s race. The crash came right out of a restart, and came with Chastain and Larson in first and second, respectively.
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 14, 2023
Larson’s crew chief Cliff Daniels angrily asked why Chastain had driven Larson directly into the fence, and said it was the third time Chastain had done something similar this season.
Wreck on the restart. Ross Chastain and Kyle Larson.
"Why did he run us right into the fence?" Cliff Daniels says of Ross Chastain.
"Make that three races he's taken us out of, Chevrolet. Three races." – more Daniels.
— Dustin Albino (@DustinAlbino) May 14, 2023
After the race, Chastain said he was trying to squeeze Larson and push him up, but not necessarily to drive him into the fence.
"Full commit into 1. I got tight and turned myself. I went into 1, got really tight and turned myself. I wanted to squeeze him, I wanted to push him up for sure." – Ross Chastain on the second to last restart with Kyle Larson.#NASCAR
— Dustin Albino (@DustinAlbino) May 14, 2023
Chastain obviously did not benefit much from the crash, but it’s the latest example of him making an enemy on the track. Of course, this is not the first time Larson has tangled with him, as Daniels alluded to.
The irony is that earlier in the week, Larson said Chastain’s style was probably good for the sport. He might not feel the same way right now.
