“Bringing heat to the race track”: Joey Logano reveals when Ross Chastain became a Championship threat in 2022
Trackhouse Racing has caught the attention of reigning champion Joey Logano. One of NASCAR's youngest teams made its debut in 2021 and emerged as a title challenger in its sophomore year. Ross Chastain led the team's efforts to advance into the championship four.
Joey Logano spoke about the team's phenomenal rise at the media session at the Phoenix Raceway. He joked that he had hoped the team's strong weekend in 2022 would be anomalies. However, consistent performances in the first few races of 2023 have proved the team's credibility.
Speaking about the emerging front runners, Logano said:
"They have done a good job at bringing the heat to the racetrack for sure. I would say at this point it is not some one-off thing. That is honestly what I was hoping for (laughter). I would say they are definitely a competitor that is here to stay."
In 2022, newly introduced next-gen cars reset the pecking order, equalizing the field for everyone. Trackhouse Racing capitalized on this regulation change to catapult itself to the front. The team has won three races in the 2022 season.
The #22 Team Penske driver gave his opinion on the Justin Marks-led team:
"We saw speed in their cars fairly early in the year, Kind of right off the bat. And you were like, ‘Okay, it is a new car, let us all figure it out and see if they are still there.’ Obviously, they are still there. They are still there now and they are hitting every area for the most part when we come to the speedway. Even on pit road, they are super fast."
Ross Chastain joined Trackhouse Racing in 2022 taking the wheel of the #1 car. Chastain qualified for the championship race, finishing third in the title-deciding race. He finished second in the drivers' standings last season.
Daniel Suarez feels at home driving the #99 for Trackhouse Racing, adding to the team's success. Suarez won his first Cup race at Sonoma Raceway in 2022. His 2023 campaign is off to a stellar start with top-ten finishes in the first three races.
Joey Logano ahead of Ross Chastain in the drivers' standings
Joey Logano leads the drivers' standings with 177 points after scoring his first victory of the season at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. Ross Chastain isn't far behind, occupying the third place, five points adrift of the leader. While the #22 driver has booked his place in the playoffs, Chastain hasn't won a race yet.
As NASCAR heads to the Circuit of the Americas for the first road course event of 2023, Chastain will be smiling ear-to-ear. The #1 driver returns to the track where he won in 2022. Chastain has generally shown a strong pace in road course events and will be eyeing a victory.
With a long season ahead of us, a title fight between Joey Logano and Ross Chastain is in the making̣.