"I’ve never been so happy" - Ross Chastain enjoying lack of media attention after missing NASCAR playoffs

Ross Chastain emerged as one of NASCAR's up-and-coming stars at the onset of the Next Gen era. The Trackhouse Racing driver, who had been a part of the Cup Series garage since 2021, became a household name from 2022 onwards.

This was largely because of his aggressive driving style, his rivalry with Denny Hamlin, and his Hail Melon move at Martinsville that booked his spot in the playoffs. Chastain continued his upward trajectory both as a driver and as a name among the fans in 2023 with two wins and another playoff appearance.

However, this season Chastain missed the playoffs and his first win came in the 29th week of the season. Following his win on Sunday at Kansas, the Trackhouse driver was asked if he feels "out of the loop," not being part of the playoffs. He said,

"I’ve never been so happy to watch y’all walk by, everybody in this room. I’ve never been so happy to watch Netflix walk the other way when I get there. Like, the boom mics are going that way. They’re following Daniel Suarez. They’re talking to Justin Marks, but none of it’s about me.

"To be honest, I love it. I’m all for it. I’m the first one to sign up for Netflix. I’m the first one to sign up for interviews, but when they go the other way, I love it" [9:50].

The #1 driver added that in the current circumstances, even if he finishes well and leads practice, he doesn't get any media attention, which to him is "pretty awesome."

But it's not as if Ross Chastain doesn't like being interviewed, or traveling for marketing purposes.

"I will still sign up for every interview, and I will still go to New York on Tuesday. I’ll be in New York City Tuesday for some stuff with NASCAR. Was going there already and will still go. So, yeah, did I feel it? For sure."

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"Didn’t think we had what it took" - Ross Chastain after Kansas win

Following his first win since Phoenix in November 2023, Ross Chastain shared feeling under-confident in his and his machine's chances of winning, before the race started. Chastain said (via NBC Sports),

"To come and do this, there are times where I didn’t think after practicing, qualifying we had what it took.”

The Trackhouse Racing driver mentioned that in his opinion, he had been stronger at Kansas in the past. In the Next Gen era, Chastain has had one win, two finishes inside the top 10, one inside the top 5, and two inside the top 20 in six races at Kansas.

In the recent playoff race, which he converted into a win, Chastain revealed that he didn't feel "great all day" with his racecar.

But as the race went on and the rubber went down from the tires onto the track surface, things got better for Chastain along with the "great" adjustments which ended up leading him to victory.