By Sunday 
A Costly Mistake at COTA
Ross Chastain is owning up to a costly miscalculation that turned Chase Elliott early in last weekend’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Circuit of the Americas (COTA).
For the first time since the incident, Chastain addressed the controversial move on Friday at Phoenix Raceway, admitting he made a “bad, bad decision” that ultimately sent Elliott from third place to the back of the pack.
A Move Gone Wrong
Chastain had initially declined to comment after the race, opting to review the replay before speaking publicly. Now, he’s clear on what happened—and that he was at fault.
“Bad, bad decision to go inside of (Kyle Larson) after he went inside of (Daniel Suárez),” Chastain said. “Wish I wouldn’t have done that. Told Chase that. Cleared the air there.”
The move in question came on the opening lap, as Chastain attempted to squeeze inside heading into a tight left-hand corner. It was a gamble that didn’t pay off.
Overconfidence Led to Disaster
Chastain explained that he misjudged the speed and braking distance at that moment, believing he had more control than he actually did.
“Incorrectly, I thought we were slow enough that the way (pole-sitter Tyler Reddick) launched in the box, I felt slow down the front, so I thought I had plenty of ability to brake,” Chastain admitted. “I was good initially and then I started locking. I was too fast. I just needed to be behind (Larson).”
The mistake proved costly for Elliott, who was forced to fight his way back from 36th place. He ultimately rallied to finish fourth, but the unnecessary setback could have derailed his race entirely.
Elliott’s Response? Keeping It Private
As for Elliott, he wasn’t interested in making a public spectacle of the conversation he had with Chastain.
“Those conversations are not for you guys,” Elliott said Friday at Phoenix. “I think you all respect us enough to let that be.”
While the air may be cleared between them, Chastain’s aggressive racing style has been a hot topic before. Whether this moment changes his approach moving forward remains to be seen.