Crew chief: Phil Sargen
team: track house racing
point: 9th place in Cup Series
win: 2 (Nashville, Phoenix II)
Wrap LED: 640
Top 5: Ten
Top 10: 14
Start from the pole: One (Nashville)
What worked: Chastain won his first Cup pole in Nashville. He led the race for 99 laps, won the race and qualified for the playoffs.
Chastain wins final race of season In Phoenix. He became the first non-playoff driver in the elimination format era (2014-present) to win the final race of the season.
Chastain’s runner-up finishes at Dover and Texas were career-best finishes at each circuit. He had never previously finished in the top 10 at the Texas Inn Cup.
What went wrong: Chastain’s team lacked consistency. Since his victory in Nashville, he has only had one top-10 finish in nine races. Chastain finished 22nd or worse in four of those races.
Chastain had issues on pit road during playoff races at Darlington, Kansas, and Texas. He made contact with Kyle Busch during the playoff race at Talladega and crashed. These issues prevented him from making it to the round of eight.
Chastain’s average starting position dropped from 14.4th in 2022 to 15.6th. He only started inside the top 10 in 14 of the 36 races.
What to expect in 2024: Trackhouse Racing has proven over the past three seasons that it can put fast cars on the track. Chastain, in particular, has 25 top-10 finishes and four wins in his two seasons with the team. Chastain is expected to be a favorite to win in 2024, but the biggest unknown is whether he can consistently perform.