Where has it all gone wrong for Trackhouse Racing and Ross Chastain? The Florida native was touted as a massive talent when he burst onto the Cup scene. His star only rose faster when he joined the Trackhouse Racing team in 2022. He hit the ground running, picking up two wins and also pulling off the famous Wall Ride. However, things have not gone well since, and the trend has repeated in 2026 as he has struggled, and now his rival, Denny Hamlin, is worried.
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Denny Hamlin was a bit worried about Ross Chastain’s struggles
Recently, Joe Gibbs’ star Denny Hamlin reflected on Ross Chastain’s struggles. It all started with a comment from Chastain’s teammate, Connor Zilisch. The rookie driver has done well to win some praise in the O’Reilly Series, but his performance in the Cup Series has been disappointing, and he expressed how it felt good to win after the poor showing on Sundays.
This led Hamlin to break down the issues Trackhouse was facing this season.
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“Trackhouse has some issues. I’m a Trackhouse fan, Justin Marks fan. It seems like they have some speed issues. I say that because simply Ross 20th in points is just not Ross’ fault. That’s our comp, that’s our barrier,” said Hamlin.
Chastain is currently occupying the 21st spot in the standings, while Zilisch is languishing in 33rd spot. The only driver that has shown some form this season for Trackhouse has been Shane Van Gisbergen.
“You could say, why is SVG way up there in points. I get it, but as the wash is starting to come out, we’re 7-8 races in. You’re starting to see creams rising to the top. Everyone who you thought would be around the bubble is starting to get around the bubble. It’s starting to all come out in the wash, and Ross is 21st in the points,” Hamlin added.
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DAYTONA BEACH, FL – FEBRUARY 12: Ross Chastain, 1 TrackHouse Racing Busch Light Chevrolet, waves to the crowd prior to the running of the NASCAR, Motorsport, USA Cup Series Daytona 500 Duel 1 on February 12, 2026, at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, FL. Photo by Jeff Robinson/Icon Sportswire AUTO: FEB 12 NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500 Duels 1 EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon2602122340
Chastain has not had a great year by his standards, as he has only one Top 5 appearance yet. Hamlin believes the team could be facing issues, which is why things have been tough for the driver.
“Ross is clearly better than that,” said Hamlin, speaking about Trackhouse. “It tells me that they’re just missing setups or low on speed or something, not really sure.”
The race in Bristol was another example of Chastain not meeting expectations.
How did Ross Chastain perform at the Bristol Motor Speedway?
This season, he is still on the hunt for his first win of the season, but he finished 3rd at Atlanta. This is a surefire sign that the old Ross Chastain is still there, buried behind the underperforming Trackhouse #1 Chevrolet. He was 20th at the Daytona 500 before finishing outside the Top 30 in COTA and Phoenix.
His performance in Bristol was similar to the other races as he finished 20th at the track and was once again left as a non-factor in the race.
In 2026, the Toyotas have been on the money, especially Joe Gibbs Racing and 23XI Racing. While Chevrolet has not had too many good results, Chastain’s struggles have been difficult to ignore because of how talented he is.
His 3rd place finish in Atlanta was a testament to how good he can be. He will be looking to get over his slump and race well in the upcoming races as the Chase Format is going to kick in, and failure to showcase consistency would deny him a spot in the Top 16.
