Ross Chastain has not been one to shy away from the drama on or off the race track since coming to the NASCAR Cup Series on a full-time basis. However, it wasn’t until Chastain’s breakout season with Trackhouse Racing that it became a talking point.
The driver of the No. 1 car won at Circuit of the Americas and Talladega Superspeedway in the first portion of the 2022 season and the aggressiveness only picked up from that point. Chastain was involved in several incidents with other drivers, such as Chase Elliott and Denny Hamlin.
It is not a bad thing as long as Chastain keeps winning races but that has been an issue as his last victory was over one year ago. If the 30-year-old driver can start winning races, the words of this Cup Series champion certainly have the potential to be correct.
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Kyle Larson believes Ross Chastain can be NASCAR’s ‘most popular driver’
Kyle Larson is the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series champion and one that has not been involved in many fights or controversial wrecks over the years. However, Larson does have a reason to be angry at Chastain for the way he races.
The Hendrick Motorsports driver had the best car at Dover Motor Speedway before Chastain punted Rick Ware Racing driver Brennan Poole going into Turn 3. Poole went up the track and it destroyed Larson’s car.
Later in the event, Larson appeared to mirror drive Chastain while he tried to chase down Martin Truex Jr. for the victory. It didn’t matter due to a yellow flag but it showed that he was upset with the runner-up to the 2022 Cup Series title.
Related: Kyle Larson brutally calls out Ross Chastain after big wreck at Dover
Surprisingly, Larson still thinks highly of Chastain. Well, not for his driving on the track but for the potential that he has off the track. On his podcast, High Limit Room, with sprint car driver Brad Sweet, Larson made a bold statement that will shock some people.
“I think (Ross Chastain)’s got the potential to be more popular than Chase Elliott.”
Kyle Larson on Ross Chastain’s future in NASCAR
This is a very surprising statement from Larson and it might come with a little controversy. Elliott is NASCAR’s most popular driver as he has won the Most Popular Driver award in the last five seasons since Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s retirement.
However, Larson is right. Chastain has the potential to not only be the sport’s most popular driver but he also has the potential to do much more. NASCAR admittedly needs a boost to put the sport back on the map again, like Formula 1 and the PGA Tour.
Chastain has the on-track aggressiveness and the willingness to fight that makes him unique. The only issue is the Trackhouse Racing driver’s ability to win races. Chastain hasn’t won in over a year and NASCAR needs a well-known star that is wildly successful almost every year.
Sure, he leads the point standings but that is different than winning. Chastain might be a villain or an anti-hero to others; however, he represents NASCAR’s best chance to make the sport what it once was in previous decades.
In the meantime, whether you are watching it live or looking for how to watch NASCAR on TV or another streaming platform, Sportsnaut has you covered for the upcoming weekend at Darlington Raceway!