Chastain 'Confused' by Logano's Post-Martinsville Criticisms

Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

In a weekly NASCAR Media Availabilty at the NASCAR Production Facility on Wednesday, Ross Chastain spoke out about the heavy criticism that was heaved his way by Joey Logano following last Sunday's Cook Out 400 at Martinsville Speedway.

Chastain, who has gained a reputation over the years of being over-aggressive, didn't feel he did anything wrong in relation to Logano in Sunday's race, and he had no idea that the driver of the No. 22 Team Penske Ford Mustang was peeved at him in the late stages of the 400-lap race at Martinsville.

As the driver of the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet was cooling down following a sixth-place effort, Chastain was informed that Logano had told a throng of media on pit road post-race that, "[Chastain] Races like a jackass every week, and I keep paying the price, and I'm sick of paying the price." After being told what Logano said about him, Chastain didn't know what to think.

"I am confused by what he said," Chastain explained. "I haven't heard since he got out of the car, had time to cool down and look at it."

There were two incidents late in Sunday's race that raised Logano's dander. The first came with 91 laps remaining. Logano, who felt he had a faster car than Chastain's was attempting to get around Chastain for the fifth position, but Chastain threw a block to hold off Logano.

A few laps later, Chastain threw a block on Briscoe, who was trying to get around him. Briscoe applied the chrome horn to Chastain, which sent Chastain into the inside curbing, and after clipping the curb, Briscoe shot up the track into the rear quarter panel of Logano. This sent Logano spinning out of the seventh position and put him in jeopardy of missing out on his first top-10 finish of the season.

Chastain doesn't feel his blocks were egregious in any shape, form, or fashion in the closing laps at Martinsville. Chastain feels Logano is holding onto a grudge from past run-ins in previous races.

"When I got down in front of [Logano] the first time, there was a gap. Other guys have done it to me. That's a very common move to get down in line," Chastain said. "He took that opportunity to I think he me harder than I think he needed to. He's mad from COTA. He says I pushed a car into him late in the race."

Chastain was floored when he was shown what Logano said about him, because he really didn't think he did anything to cross a line, and the he hopes Logano looked back at the tape and saw the incidents differently in retrospect than he saw them in the heat of the action.

But even if Logano has a change of heart in how it all played out, it doesn't take back what was said, and it doesn't help Chastain in his quest of distancing from the negative reputation he had at his peak of aggression behind the wheel a couple of seasons ago.

"I just couldn't believe what they were saying, and what they were telling me he said. I would hope that he looked at it and had a little clearer mind," Chastain said. "I mean, he's a three-time champ, he can say what he wants, but those words have a lot of weight. And to just get out and spew that, call me those names, is not appreciated. Not warranted, I don't think. And honestly, pretty disappointing that he would do that."

Will cooler heads prevail between the two aggressive drivers, who don't often back down from others? Or will the feud between Logano and Chastain continue to rage on throughout the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season?