Ross Chastain explains unprecedented team switch ahead of playoffs

Ross Chastain heads into uncharted waters this weekend at Darlington as he begins his NASCAR Cup Series playoff bid.

The 32-year-old star finished the regular season in 11th place in the standings, and goes into the postseason with his Trackhouse Racing team having made a major change ahead of the opener on Sunday (6pm ET, USA).

For the first time in his career, Chastain will not have Shane Wilson as part of his crew on the No. 1 Chevrolet, after Trackhouse moved Josh Appleby across to be his jackman. Wilson will now pivot to work with Daniel Suarez on the No. 99, replacing Appleby.

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Major change for Chastain

Chastain says it’s the type of move he has never seen or experienced before, and the timing is highly relevant. Heading into the playoffs, and a week after he was penalized for 'pitting out of his assigned pit box' at Daytona.

He told FOX NASCAR insider Bob Pockrass: “Look I’ve worked with Shane my entire career at Ganassi and Trackhouse. So that’s gonna be some difference in just how they’re gonna lay the box out. We’ve got a new tape design that Josh likes and I’m good with it. So I’ll probably get a look at that.

“So I am gonna take some reps this week that I normally don’t. And it’s fresh in my mind that I slipped through the box at Daytona, can’t have that, those are unforced errors.”

Chastain also explained how the decision had been made, and more importantly, why.

“It was a decision by Trackhouse - decisions for people way beyond me," the driver of the No. 1 revealed. "They just let me know that was happening.

It’s just about speed, it’s just about how to make the pit stops the fastest they can be in the playoffs.

“It’s not how Trackhouse has ever operated in my experience. This is a different Trackhouse - tough decisions, but all for the sake of speed…There’s never been a change on the [No.] 1 car for speed.”

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