“We’re just not confident, all three drivers,” said Ross Chastain after the Texas race. Once a dominant force known for snagging pole positions and locking in top-10 starting spots, Trackhouse Racing has hit a perplexing slump in 2025. Qualifying has proven to be their weakness, with Chastain and Daniel Suárez often beginning races deep in the field. At Texas, Chastain rolled off the starting grid in 20th position, while Suárez began 22nd. These are worlds away from the front-row starts Trackhouse became used to in earlier seasons. Chastain’s average starting position this season is a dismal 22nd, a figure that burns for a team that became used to leading the way.

Despite all of that, their Saturdays prove they are fighters. At Texas, Chastain’s skillful restarts and Trackhouse’s precisely thought-out strategy on a mid-pack start translated into a podium finish, and Suárez battled to ninth, proving the team’s raw talent and resilience. But the question everyone’s asking is: why can’t they make Saturdays fast? Ross Chastain’s 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season with Trackhouse Racing is a stomach punch, one in which glimpses of raw brilliance are matched by stomach-twisting despair.

Ross Chastain is curious to know the answers to all the questions

The ability of the team to take dismal qualifying performances and make them work on a race day on the track, most notably Chastain’s second at Texas Motor Speedway, is reflective of their never-say-die mentality. But their recurring Saturday qualifying woes are a dark cloud over their season, and Chastain, his teammate Daniel Suárez, and the rest of the Trackhouse crew are left scratching their heads in dismay and bewilderment. The tension within Trackhouse Racing’s garage is palpable, and Chastain is not afraid to confront reality.

In a raw, emotional interview, Chastain laid bare the team’s struggles, his voice heavy with frustration. “We don’t have answers. We have a lot of questions, and that’s the problem. I don’t know the answer. That’s not there yet. We’re trying.” Chastain’s words sting. “The Watermelon Man” showcased his aggression and take-no-prisoners driving style in every race, but in vain. As he explained, the Trackhouse Racing team is examining every detail, adjusting car configurations, studying data, and trying new things, but the speed they require on Saturdays continues to elude them. But will the team find its missing groove?

The No. 1 Chevrolet driver still believes they can! “We will. I truly believe it. We’ll be back to our bit qualifying, putting on pole, running top 10. Right now we’re just trying to get to 20. And we need to start mid-pack. I just want to see the 2nd race car rolling off the grid, and I can’t even see that, guys. So yeah, I don’t know the answer. I don’t know what to do to fix it. We’re having this conversation. We’re trying, we’re changing things. We’re a competitive group, and we’re not happy with Saturday.” Chastain emphasized, highlighting the team’s refusal to accept mediocrity as the result. 

The team’s engineers and crew chiefs are working overtime, but the lack of progress is wearing on everyone. “We’re not happy with Saturday,” Chastain reiterated, a sentiment echoed by Suárez, who admitted that the team’s qualifying struggles are eating them up. No.1 Chevrolet driver’s Texas run was a masterclass in resilience, driven by what he called his ‘brilliant restarts.’ He revealed that his secret weapon lies in the smallest details—studying the restart zone, perfecting his timing, and anticipating his rivals’ moves. The Trackhouse Racing driver explained how his precision in restarts helped him gain crucial positions. Well, another veteran also applauded the performance of the Trackhouse Racing team. 

On his Happy Hour podcast, Harvick put forward his honest view: “You look at the Chastain pit crew, they’re ranked 16th. So, they’ve been doing a decent job on pit road, but they have not been doing a decent job in qualifying,” Harvick stated. “This was the first time I’ve ever heard Ross Chastain get out of that race car and voice his displeasure with the way that the cars felt. His interview afterwards was different than it has ever been before, with always being positive about everything that’s going on. The reality has showed up, and that is they struggle on qualifying day.” Seeing a sinking ship, anyone would crack up, let alone the Trackhouse Racing driver.

The fans are feeling the emotional weight of Trackhouse’s journey. Their 2025 season is a tale of two days: Saturday’s despair and Sunday’s redemption. As Chastain put it, “We’re trying.” For a driver and team, that fierce, that relentless effort, paired with their race-day magic, might just be the spark they need to reclaim their place at the front of the pack. But will the team make it down the victory lane in the coming race?

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Can Chastain solve his team’s woes at Kansas?

The NASCAR star, once celebrated for his fearless driving, is stuck in a slump that’s got everyone talking. But there is still a bright spot. Ross Chastain’s 2024 Kansas Speedway victory is proof he’s a top contender for 2025. Piloting the No. 1 Chevrolet for Trackhouse Racing, he clinched a dramatic win in the NASCAR Cup Series playoff opener, beating William Byron by 0.388 seconds.

The numbers tell the story. Over 12 Cup Series starts at Kansas, Chastain has one win, one top-five, and two top-10s, with an average finish of 17.3. His 2024 win was a breakthrough, his first top-five since a fifth-place run in 2018. He’s led 81 laps total at Kansas, with 52 in 2024 alone, showing a growing command of the 1.5-mile track. His average start of 16.2 and 83.3% laps completed underline his consistency.

Ross Chastain’s grit shone in 2024. He confessed, “There’s been times this year when we couldn’t have disrupted [a] minnow pond outside of Darlington, let alone a Cup race.” Even though he was not in the playoff contention, the win worked as a shot in the arm for him. Despite past struggles—finishes of 19th or worse in seven of his last nine Kansas races—#1 Chevrolet driver’s 2024 performance flipped the script.

As he prepares for 2025 with a refined strategy and Trackhouse’s backing, Chastain’s momentum makes him a serious threat to repeat at Kansas. The jinx is history.