Ross Chastain stood between Ryan Blaney and a race win on Sunday. The Team Penske superstar was hoping for a golden finish to the NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4 race by claiming the top position. However, it was the Trackhouse Racing #1 Chevrolet that emerged on top even after leading just one lap in nine races before Phoenix.

While the incentive to do that is something all race car drivers are familiar with, there could have been a small hindrance to it. Speaking on the popular podcast Door Bumper Clear, former Kaulig Racing spotter Brett Griffin makes an unexpected revelation that puts NASCAR in the spotlight for their shady intentions.

NASCAR tried to stop Ross Chastain from winning at Phoenix

The last time Ross Chastain won a race was on his home track in Nashville. The Melon Man experienced a slump in form and was ousted in the Round of 12. Consistency has been a huge issue for the #1 team, but not on the Championship 4 race Sunday. The 30-year-old led more than half of the race’s laps with 157 of 312 and held his own against Ryan Blaney and Kyle Larson.

Not just that, but he also becomes the first driver since the introduction of the playoff format to deny the Cup champion a win in the season finale. But as per Brett Griffin, NASCAR wanted to prevent this from happening, as he revealed, “So when Blaney hit Ross Chastain, Ross Chastain’s spotter was flustered by a NASCAR official.”

“The official went down there and said, ‘What are you doing?’ and he goes, ‘What I’m trying to do? I’m trying to win the race.’ But he didn’t want Ross Chastain to, I don’t know, race against Blaney that hard. Because here comes Truex in the picture, and they don’t want another sh*tshow.”

Blaney could have won a second successive race after a nail-biting finish at Martinsville if not for Chastain. The P2 finish wasn’t easy for the #12 Mustang driver either, as Larson kept pushing for a pass on him until the very last lap. Blaney had hoped to get a comfortable lead over his nearest competitor by being the race leader. But Chastain used the dirty air to his advantage very well and deserved the win for himself.

Read More: “We Got Robbed”- Livid Fans Bash NBC’s Ross Chastain Disrespect As Favored Smash Flew Undetected at Phoenix

Chastain takes pride in his team’s ability to create history

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Ross Chastain has been known for instigating wrecks in the NASCAR community. However, his aggressive antics have toned down with time, and now they have translated into a win at Phoenix. Chastain even did his trademark celebration after the victory and smashed the watermelon for the first time since Nashville.

Appreciating the team’s efforts towards his motive in the race, he said, “We did something else that’s never been done before. For everyone on this team, this vision for Trackhouse and what this was were goals like this. They were lofty.”

Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks also joined the conversation as he expressed his joy over doing something unheard of in the competition. He commented, “Look, I mean, we won two races. I think it’s a wonderful success. I think the playoffs are just very, very difficult. One race can make a difference. Ross had some great races in the playoffs. The No. 1 team put up a heck of a fight, but it’s so difficult to get to Phoenix.”

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“I think this is a very successful season—another season that rewarded all the hard work in the company with multiple wins and a lot of happy people.”

Marks’ words have never stood truer, as he rightfully acknowledged the level of competition in the Cup. The pre-playoff period was proof of that, as some big names missed out on the playoffs. Even in the first elimination round, the fans witnessed defending champion Joey Logano being thrust out of the tournament. Constant improvement has never been more important for Cup Series teams.