Ross Chastain captured a much-needed top-five finish at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday, breaking a prolonged drought for the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing team. The Ross Chastain Martinsville top five result provides a boost as Chastain and his crew push forward through the remainder of the NASCAR Cup Series season.
Chastain Rebounds After Tough Summer
Throughout the summer, Ross Chastain faced repeated questions about the downturn in performance for his No. 1 car, yet still managed to advance past the Round of 16 in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. After missing out on the Round of 8 due to a sequence of pit–road errors at the Charlotte Motor Speedway road course, Chastain and his team shifted all their focus toward claiming victories in the final races of 2025.
The Xfinity 500 at Martinsville began with further challenges for the Trackhouse Racing entry. Chastain finished the opening stage in 18th and moved up only slightly to 15th in the second stage. His fortune shifted dramatically at Lap 378, when Erik Jones spun following contact with Brad Keselowski during green-flag pit stops. This incident allowed a handful of drivers, including Chastain, who had yet to pit, to inherit the race lead.
Late Race Strategy Puts Chastain in Contention
As the race progressed, Ryan Blaney and William Byron—who had dominated the day by leading a combined 481 of 500 laps—found themselves on the tail end of the lead lap after their pit stops. This development brought them to the front row for the restart, with Chastain lined up right behind them in third.
In the closing 125 laps, Chastain managed to keep pace with the leaders and proved to be a formidable presence inside the top five. After lining up third on a late restart with just 11 laps left, the front two cars surged ahead, and Chase Elliott slipped past, ultimately dropping Chastain to fourth place at the checkered flag.
“I want to win, I tried to win and I didn’t win,”
— Ross Chastain, Driver
“Spun my tires on the restart and from there they got a gap. I couldn’t keep up with the top two and [Elliott] came by me. We were legitimately a fourth-place car at the end.”
— Ross Chastain, Driver
First Top Five Since the Coca-Cola 600 Victory
This Martinsville fourth-place run marks Chastain’s first top-five result in over five months, his last coming with his victory at the Coca-Cola 600, which was his inaugural win in a NASCAR crown jewel event. During the stretch since that triumph, Trackhouse Racing’s other drivers, including Shane van Gisbergen—who secured five road course wins in a row—had more top fives, leaving Chastain eager to rejoin their success.
Chastain expressed satisfaction over how the Phil Surgen-led team persisted through early setbacks, particularly after struggling with the handling of their Chevrolet at Martinsville Speedway. Capitalizing on the opportunity when it mattered, the No. 1 crew executed strong adjustments to propel their driver forward at the race’s crucial moments.
“There was a time today that we took the wave around and there was only one car behind me for the choose,”
— Ross Chastain, Driver
At the closing restart, Chastain saw only two cars ahead as he battled for position near the end. He praised the adaptability and strategic calls made throughout the grueling 500-lap event, noting the importance of timely decisions that yielded a valuable pit stop with fewer competitors to contend with on pit road.
“We still weren’t good enough to beat [Byron or Elliott] at the end. I felt like [Kyle Larson] and I were pretty even because he wasn’t close to me. As far as Chevys go, there is still a step up to the 24 for sure today.”
— Ross Chastain, Driver
Looking Ahead After a Confidence-Boosting Finish
While it remains uncertain how Sunday’s strong showing at Martinsville will impact future races, the result injects well-timed confidence for Chastain. He faces the prospect of posting the fewest top fives and top tens in a season since joining Trackhouse Racing in 2022, with the No. 1 car leading just 83 of over 9,200 laps so far this year.
Chastain summed up his mindset as he heads into the final races, simply reflecting:
“Just want to go fast right now.”
— Ross Chastain, Driver
The next few weeks will reveal whether this top-five finish sets the stage for a late surge, but for now, Chastain and his Martinsville effort put a positive stamp on a challenging season, as he continues to battle alongside rivals like Ryan Blaney, Brad Keselowski, William Byron, Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, and Trackhouse Racing teammates on the Cup circuit.
