In a dramatic turn of events at Kansas Speedway, Ross Chastain played spoiler to the NASCAR Cup Series playoff contenders, snatching his first win of the season in the Hollywood Casino 400. Chastain surged ahead in the final restart with 20 laps remaining, overtaking Martin Truex Jr. and defending the lead against playoff driver William Byron to secure a critical victory for Trackhouse Racing.
Chastain, who failed to make the playoffs this season, saw this victory as a pivotal moment for his team. After taking the checkered flag, he credited Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks for the team’s disruptive presence in NASCAR.
“It’s a huge deal,” Chastain said. “Justin Marks bought into NASCAR with Trackhouse to do stuff like this — to disrupt. We’ve had tough times this year, but to come and do this today is incredible. Our Kubota Chevy got better as the rubber went down, and the adjustments were perfect.”
Chastain led 52 laps, overtaking Truex on the inside and charging ahead to claim the win, his fifth career victory. Byron, who had a strong run, finished second, while Truex held on for third.
The race was marked by intense battles and misfortune for several drivers. Christopher Bell, who dominated the day by leading a race-high 122 laps, couldn’t convert his pole position into a win and finished seventh. Playoff driver Kyle Busch saw his day crumble after spinning from the lead with just over 30 laps remaining. Chasing Briscoe and under pressure from Chastain, Busch got loose, hit the wall, and ultimately finished 19th. The incident added to Busch’s mounting frustration as his 20-season win streak now faces a major challenge with only six races left in the season.
In the closing laps, the final caution came after Carson Hocevar spun following contact with Todd Gilliland, handing the advantage to Chastain. Truex, Alex Bowman, Byron, and Chastain were all in contention, but Chastain’s aggressive driving on the restart put him in a position to take control of the race.
While Chastain celebrated his breakthrough win, playoff drivers found themselves grappling with a mix of successes and setbacks. Byron’s second-place finish was his best at Kansas Speedway and provided a strong boost to his playoff campaign. Ryan Blaney finished fourth, with Ty Gibbs and Denny Hamlin also finishing in the top 10.
For Kyle Larson, the race was a nightmare. Larson hit the wall early due to a cut tire and spent much of the race struggling with a damaged car. He eventually finished 26th, while Austin Cindric, after bouncing off Busch, spun out and finished 34th.
In total, the race featured 30 lead changes among 15 drivers and 10 cautions, creating a chaotic and unpredictable start to the Round of 12 in the NASCAR Cup playoffs. While Chastain’s win shook things up, no playoff driver managed to secure an automatic berth to the next round, keeping the battle wide open as the series heads to Talladega.
Chastain’s win reminds the field that in NASCAR, nothing is guaranteed, and any race can be turned upside down in a matter of laps. For the playoff drivers, the pressure only increases as they look to recover and lock in their spots for the next round.
