Ross Chastain: 'Cool to be disappointed with ninth' in NASCAR playoff race at New Hampshire

It may be tough for a NASCAR driver to be disappointed with a top-10 finish, but that's exactly where NASCAR Cup Series playoff driver Ross Chastain finds himself after the Round of 12 opener at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday. 

Chastain started Sunday's race in eighth — a major step up from his average starting position of 20th for the season. 

But the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet went backwards early in Sunday's race. Chastain finished 12th in Stage 1 and 13th in Stage 2, failing to snag any crucial stage points. 

By the time crew chief Phil Surgen was able to help Chastain move through the pack, it was too late, and Chastain was forced to settle for ninth on a day that could've had much more in store. 

"We started the race just way too tight," Chastain told USA Network. "Long day of adjustments for the 1 boys, the Kubota Chevy. Phil Surgen (took) some wedge out of it to get it turning, and then I had to keep dealing with the (corner) exit because we never had good forward drive like we thought we would. 

When we were too tight, we went backwards, and when it started turning better, I magically went forward. Cool to be disappointed with ninth."

Chastain is currently the first driver below the cut line (-12) with two races remaining in the Round of 12. He'll go into the second race of the Round of 12 at Kansas Speedway (Sept. 28) as the defending winner of the Kansas fall race — and another win at the 1.5-mile track this fall would vault him into the Round of 8 for the first time since 2022.