“We have 1 goal, push Daniel Suarez into playoffs!”: Ross Chastain plays the ultimate teammate ahead of the final race at Daytona next week

Trackhouse Racing driver Ross Chastain is set to play the ultimate teammate role at Daytona, as he aims to help Daniel Suarez make it to the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.

In the penultimate round at Watkins Glen, Suarez had a rather disappointing result as a mistake early in the race ruined his day. Reaching the checkered flag for the 90-lap race, he was classified 22nd while Chastain finished 18th.

As the final race of the Cup Series regular season is upon us, the Trackhouse Racing team aims to have both its drivers in the playoffs. Chastain has already booked his playoff spot with his win at Nashville. Suarez is still in the mix fighting for the final spot in the top 16.

Wrapping up their weekend at Watkins Glen, Chastain put out a statement on social media declaring his full support for his teammate, who finds himself in a dire situation heading into the Coke Zero 400.

"I know you probably don’t believe me BUT… we’re headed in the right direction! If that last caution falls a little differently, we could’ve ran inside the top-10. I feel pretty darn good about the next 11 weeks. Next week we have 1 goal, push @Daniel_Suarez into the playoffs!"

William Byron winning at the Glen meant Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski advanced into the playoffs, leaving one spot, which is currently occupied by Bubba Wallace.

Ty Gibbs is 32 markers behind Wallace while Daniel Suarez in the 18th position is 43 points behind the cutoff mark. The permutations allow Gibbs or Suarez to advance on points if they outscore the 23XI Racing driver by a margin. The three drivers and everyone below them can also win their way into the playoffs.

The final round of the regular season at Daytona will see many desperate drivers battling for the win, including big hitters like Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman. In such a situation, a helping hand from Ross Chastain will surely make a difference for the Mexican driver.

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Ross Chastain speaks about Shane van Gisbergen's impact on Trackhouse Racing

NASCAR sensation Shane van Gisbergen made two starts for Trackhouse Racing through the Project 91 initiative. The Kiwi driver won the street race in Chicago and backed it up with a top 10 result at Indianapolis.

Not only has Van Gisbergen lifted the team's profile with his results but he has also had a significant impact on the team's road course program which Ross Chastain termed eye-opening.

"Shane opened our eyes to a lot of things and we’ve looked at that," Ross Chastain was quoted by Speedcafe. "Going to tracks without walls everywhere like Chicago and tracks that I’ve been to before, like the next two coming up will help. It’s constant work for me though. I’ve been putting in the work, so we’ll see if it pays off."

Shane van Gisbergen will not return to the Cup Series this season but has confirmed his involvement with the team as he becomes a full-time NASCAR driver in 2024.