Ross Chastain finished 27th in the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway on September 6, 2026. Driving the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet, Chastain faced a brutal, hard-fought evening at the track dubbed “Too Tough to Tame.”
Race highlights:
- Pre-Race Struggles: Entering the race 27 points below the playoff cut line, Chastain and the entire Trackhouse Racing stable lacked the raw speed to contend with the frontrunners early on.
- Mid-Race Deficit: By the halfway point of the race, a dominant pace by leaders like Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell resulted in Chastain and his Trackhouse teammates (Shane van Gisbergen and Connor Zilisch) falling a lap down. Despite being lapped, Chastain fought to carry the team, consistently running 7 to 10 positions ahead of his stablemates.
- Three-Way Battle: During a fierce sequence off Turn 4, Chastain found himself locked in a tight, three-wide battle with Michael McDowell and Zane Smith. McDowell made contact with Smith right in front of Chastain, forcing close-quarters evasive racing.
- Late Pit Mishap: While Chastain managed to grind his way into a decent position relative to his car’s handling limits, a costly mistake by his crew chief on the final pit stop ultimately ruined his chances of a better recovery, relegating him to a 27th-place finish.
Ross next races in the Enjoy Illinois 300 this Sunday at the World Wide Technology Raceway starting at 3:00pm ET. The race will be broadcast on USA. Despite Chastain being eliminated from the playoffs, he continues to race in the remaining Cup Series races with a chance to win each week for the remainder of the season.
