Ross Chastain and Joey Logano, who had a heated post-race conversation following the NASCAR Cup Series Chicago Street Course in July, could be poised for another spirited battle on Oct. 5 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway Roval (2 p.m. CT, USA Network).
Only 13 points separate Logano (3,083) and Chastain (3,070) headed into the playoff elimination race at Charlotte. Logano is eighth and Chastain ninth out of 12 remaining playoff drivers headed into the second-round elimination race.
Logano was involved in an incident late at Kansas Speedway on Sept. 28, which left him in 21st place and locked in the battle with Chastain, who finished 11th.
Chastain, who was chasing Chase Briscoe, can shift his focus to Logano. Briscoe was fourth at Kansas so he is now +21 and not safe but in better shape than Chastain or Logano.
Why Joey Logano has complained about Ross Chastain
After Logano and Chastain made incidental contact on Turn 1 after a Lap 64 restart at the Chicago Street Course, Chastain bumped into Logano’s Team Penske Ford heading into Turn 2. Logano was sent into Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and both cars spun out.
Logano, a three-time Cup Series champion, had some choice words on the radio following the crash. He confronted Chastain after the race and later called on NASCAR to punish the Trackhouse Racing driver since Chastain admitted to intentionally causing the wreck.
That wasn’t the first time this season Logano complained about Chastain. After the Martinsville race in March, Logano expressed frustration with the manner in which Chastain maneuvered in front of him on two restarts.
“Ross just sticks it in a tight spot,” the Team Penske driver told reporters after the race. “He did it to me the restart before. … I keep paying the price, and I’m sick of paying the price.”
Joey Logano’s Charlotte Roval stats
Logano has not been great on road courses in his career, but not been bad on the Roval.
He finished eighth in 2024, which placed him just short of clinching a spot in the semifinal of the playoff. A post-race inspection, however, resulted in the disqualification of the No. 48 team and the elimination of Alex Bowman from the playoffs and advanced Logano, who ended up winning the championship.
Logano was better on the Roval in 2023 when he finished fifth even after to deal with tight-handling issues early in the race.
Just like this season, Logano entered the Round of 12 elimination race in 2023 just 13 points above the playoff cutline.
Ross Chastain’s Charlotte Roval stats
Chastain has been better on four of the five road courses on the 2025 Cup schedule. But it’s been very close.
Chastain’s average finish at Circuit of the Americas, Mexico City, Chicago, Sonoma and Watkins Glen was 14.4 with a best finish of ninth at Sonoma.
Logano’s average finish on the road courses was 15.8 with a best of 10th at Chicago and Sonoma.
NASCAR playoff standings before Charlotte Roval elimination race
1. Ryan Blaney (locked into the Round of 8 after New Hampshire win)
2. Chase Elliott (locked into the Round of 8 after Kansas win)
3. Kyle Larson +54 ahead of 8th
4. Denny Hamlin +48
5. Christopher Bell +44
6. William Byron +40
7. Chase Briscoe +21
8. Joey Logano +13
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9. Ross Chastain -13 behind 8th
10. Bubba Wallace -26
11. Tyler Reddick -29
12. Austin Cindric -48
Reach Mike Organ at 615-259-8021 or on X @MikeOrganWriter.
