Ross Chastain’s position at Trackhouse Racing has become a focal point for NASCAR fans and insiders.
Chastain’s future at the team has become a topic of speculation as the team gears up for a potential 2026 restructuring. A veteran NASCAR driver, one of the sport’s most vocal, weighed in on the situation during his podcast, highlighting the challenges Chastain may face in the evolving team dynamic.
How Does Team Restructuring Impact Ross Chastain’s Role?
With Trackhouse making strategic moves behind the scenes and developing multiple programs simultaneously, speculation is mounting about how the pieces will fit together next season.
Observers are watching closely, eager to see how Chastain fits into the evolving team structure and whether he will remain a central figure as Trackhouse looks to shape its future around rising star Connor Zilisch.
“I mean, obviously we, we saw Randall Burnett is going to be Connor Zilisch’s crew chief. We, we know that Steve and, and uh SVG are together. That’s an interesting dynamic when it, when it comes down to the one car,” Harvick said.
He added, “Now, when you look at where they were, they ran okay this weekend, at times, but it’s going to be interesting to see where Ross kind of falls in all of this as, as things cycle into next year. Do they leave his team the same? Do they change his team? What do they do with that one car?”
Harvick also noted that Chastain occupies a “weird spot” as Trackhouse continues to develop its programs. The team has been heavily investing in the Zilisch project and building around Shane van Gisbergen (SVG), aiming to establish both drivers as cornerstones for the future.
“You see all the effort and everything that’s going into the Zilisch program and they built the whole program for, for SVG. Um, but the expectation is for that one car to consistently run in the top five and win and be the anchor of the team. So, it’ll be interesting to, to kind of see how that whole dynamic works out over there,” Harvick added.
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As Trackhouse considers a potential 2026 overhaul, which would include restructuring teams and reevaluating crew alignments, questions remain about Chastain’s role.
With next season looming, the veteran driver’s position may hinge on both track results and the team’s strategic decisions, making the upcoming months crucial for Chastain’s future at Trackhouse Racing.