Ross Chastain is struggling to find his footing in the 2026 NASCAR Cup Series, currently sitting 20th in points after nine races.
What's Going Wrong?
Chastain's only top 10 finish came on February 22 at Atlanta, and he hasn't finished inside the top 15 since.
He crossed the line in 26th at Kansas Speedway on Sunday, a disappointing result for the six-time Cup Series winner.
Team Performance
Chastain's teammates, Shane van Gisbergen and rookie Connor Zilisch, are 18th and 33rd in the standings, respectively.
Trackhouse Racing owner Justin Marks described the organization as being in a rebuilding phase.
Crew Chief Change
Chastain's former crew chief, Phil Surgen, transitioned into a leadership role, and Brandon McSwain took over as crew chief in 2026.
McSwain and Chastain have a long history, dating back to Chastain's early days in the NASCAR O'Reilly Auto Parts Series.
Chastain found the first check he received from late team owner Shigeaki Hattori, which he sent to McSwain as a reminder of how far they've come.
Looking Ahead
Chastain will look to get back to victory lane at Talladega Superspeedway on April 26, driving the No. 1 Jockey VentraCoolAir Chevrolet with a new matte black paint scheme.
He's not blaming the new Chevrolet body for his team's struggles, instead focusing on finding solutions.
Chastain wants to get back to competing with the top teams, like the Chevys that are currently running in the top five.
And with McSwain's help, he's working to turn his season around.
But for now, Chastain is stuck in 20th place, searching for answers.
So he'll keep working, trying to find the right combination to get his team back on track.
Chastain's next chance to turn things around comes on April 26 at Talladega.