Ross Chastain‘s playoff elimination at the Charlotte Roval generated significant attention on Sunday, as the driver’s intense last-lap effort ended with disappointment and reflection at the Trackhouse Racing camp. Focus naturally centered on the Ross Chastain playoff elimination reaction, especially after Chastain’s late spin allowed Joey Logano to move forward in the postseason at Chastain’s expense.
Chastain, who had shown promising pace by finishing fifth in Stage 1, battled throughout the race but ultimately lost his playoff spot due to pit-road missteps and a final-lap incident involving Denny Hamlin. As one member of Trackhouse Racing, Shane Van Gisbergen, celebrated victory, Chastain faced the raw reality of missing the next round, highlighting dramatically different fortunes within the same team. Team owner Justin Marks, a former racer himself, offered support and perspective as Chastain processed the narrow defeat.
Justin Marks Counsels Chastain in the Wake of Playoff Disappointment
Immediately following the conclusion of the race, Justin Marks sought to comfort Ross Chastain during a candid exchange at the team’s bus. Marks’ words conveyed encouragement, as he explained to SiriusXM NASCAR Radio how he addressed the emotional aftermath.
I just thanked him for the hard work and the effort, giving everything he had, and being a part of this company.
— Justin Marks, Team Owner
Marks recognized the need for Chastain to move on quickly from the setback and not dwell in frustration.
But all I told him, you know, last night before we left the racetrack, we were at the bus for a little bit. I said, Just, just the one favor I’m going to ask you is just get over it quick. Just get over it quick,
— Justin Marks, Team Owner
Marks observed that Chastain often internalizes tough moments and becomes withdrawn after difficult races, something that came to the forefront following Chastain’s admission of making critical errors under pressure, including a costly speeding penalty and a mistake at Turn 7.
sits in his emotions, and he gets very, very quiet
— Justin Marks, Team Owner
Chastain, reflecting on the race’s pivotal moments, took ownership of the mistakes that contributed to the narrow playoff exit.
I single-handedly took a car out of the Round of 8 and a chance to go to the Round of Four… It’s all on me,
— Ross Chastain, Driver
Marks stressed both the work that remains ahead for Chastain and the wider Trackhouse Racing team, along with the need to reset their focus for upcoming races, especially at Las Vegas.
Tomorrow’s a new day. We got to go prepare for Vegas and, you know, just keep those, those, keep the big picture, um, as clear as possible, which is, you know, that was a bummer that, you know, that they didn’t turn out the way we wanted it to turn out. But we have a lot to fight for the rest of this year.
— Justin Marks, Team Owner
With changes coming for Trackhouse—including new talent like Connor Zilisch joining the lineup—Marks underlined the importance of not letting playoff heartbreak linger.
But just tell him; just get over it quick. As the boss and as the team owner, the only thing I’m going to tell you, and everybody really on that number one team, is just, you can be pi–ed off right now. You can be sad right now, but I don’t want to see any of that on Monday morning, because we’ve still got work to do and a lot of opportunity for us ahead.
— Justin Marks, Team Owner
Chastain demonstrated determination as he considered the days ahead and his approach moving forward.
wake up tomorrow and go right back to work,
— Ross Chastain, Driver
During this stage, Marks also addressed speculation regarding the final-lap incident with Denny Hamlin, drawing attention to the inherently aggressive nature of playoff racing and focusing on self-improvement for future events.
Justin Marks Addresses Hamlin’s Role in Playoff Outcome
Rather than assigning fault to Denny Hamlin for Ross Chastain’s playoff elimination, Justin Marks offered a pragmatic assessment of the high-pressure environment. Hamlin’s crucial pass on Chastain in Turn 7 preceded a failed attempt by Chastain to reclaim the position in the final chicane, which led to both cars spinning and Chastain’s postseason hopes ending.
Marks noted that Chastain’s challenges began with earlier missteps, emphasizing that the final-lap drama was a consequence of needing a last-ditch move after falling behind. Marks discussed the realities of competitive racing and drivers acting in their own teams’ best interests, regardless of broader playoff implications.
Ultimately, everybody’s out here to try to get the best finish and best result for their team, and I don’t think anybody really owes it to anybody else to try and help anybody else,
— Justin Marks, Team Owner
This perspective came during a weekend of irony for Trackhouse Racing as Shane Van Gisbergen claimed his first NASCAR win and Daniel Suárez finished in the top ten, while Chastain fell just four points short of advancing. Marks highlighted how split-second playoff decisions are made by drivers without always knowing the full points scenario, as was the case for Hamlin.
It’s nice to hear Denny say those things, but Denny’s doing what he’s got to do for the 11 team and try to get the best finish that he can for the 11 team,
— Justin Marks, Team Owner
Ultimately, Marks stressed the necessity for Trackhouse Racing to improve its execution, avoid putting itself in these desperate positions, and prepare diligently for upcoming events like Las Vegas. The emphasis now shifts toward turning disappointment into drive and capitalizing on future opportunities for the team’s roster, which includes established and emerging talents.
As the dust settles, Chastain and Trackhouse Racing face the task of rebounding from the playoff setback, with a resolve to convert adversity into strength as the NASCAR season continues.
How does @TeamTrackhouse owner @JustinMarksTH lift up his driver @RossChastain after a heartbreaking end to his #NASCARPlayoffs?
Focus forward.
🗣️ "We still got work to do and a lot of opportunity for is ahead."
More → https://t.co/MKhd9eLpQA pic.twitter.com/S6SfLOdHkH
— SiriusXM NASCAR Radio (Ch. 90) (@SiriusXMNASCAR) October 9, 2025
