Ross Chastain and Daniel Suárez drew attention after the NASCAR Cup Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 15, 2026. The former Trackhouse Racing teammates battled hard on track, with multiple incidents adding to the tension between them. What started as aggressive racing did not end when the race finished.
On the cool-down lap, Chastain swerved into Suárez, and the situation escalated on pit road. The two drivers exchanged words before Chastain shoved Suárez.
The moment quickly became one of the biggest talking points from the race, as their history as former teammates came back into focus following the incident.
Ross Chastain Admits Reaction Crossed the Line
Ross Chastain said after the race that his emotions got the better of him. In comments shared on X by Matt Weaver, he made it clear that he would change how he handled the moment.
“Yeah, in the moment, I was definitely hot and angry. If I had time to think about it, I would’ve done things differently. I wouldn’t have swerved into him after the race. I didn’t mean to do that, and I’d change it. And I wouldn’t shove him, for sure.”
Chastain acknowledged that his actions were wrong and said the situation could have been handled better if he had taken time to cool down.
Frustration Grew During the Pit Road Exchange
Chastain explained that the argument on pit road escalated because he felt Suárez was not taking responsibility for what happened during the race.
“I was over the conversation he was trying to have. I wanted him to leave. I asked him to leave, and he didn’t. He was too close, and I didn’t want to hear anything else he was saying because he wasn’t taking any accountability, and I wanted him to.”
He also pointed to their past as teammates as part of the tension between them and made clear that the relationship is not close.
“We just don’t get along. I’ve known Daniel for a long time, have lived it inside of our four walls, and there’s not enough accountability, and there wasn’t post-race. You don’t have to get along with everyone.”
“In the heat of the moment, I reacted worse than I should have. If I had a few minutes to calm down, getting out of the car, it would’ve been different.”
Daniel Suárez’s Response and Race Struggles Added to the Emotions
Chastain said a difficult race added to his frustration. He noted that the No. 1 Chevrolet team expected more than a mid-pack run.
“It was a day of struggling, running in the mid-teens when we expect more out of the No. 1 car. That’s not an excuse. It was unfair in the grand scheme to react that way. It wasn’t right.”
Despite the incident, Chastain said he does not expect an ongoing issue between them.
“Daniel and I have known each other for several years. There was a short period where we got along. He’s been faster than me, so he really shouldn’t worry about me. They had one bad run at the end, and we were better on that last run.”
“If they keep up their pace, we’re probably not going to cross paths much because he’s ahead of me if everything goes right for them.”
Suárez later said he lost a lot of respect for Chastain after the incident.
Ross Chastain Admits Mistake After Shoving Daniel Suárez Following Las Vegas Clash