Ross Chastain’s aggressive racing style backfired spectacularly at Circuit of the Americas (COTA). A first-lap collision with Chase Elliott during the EchoPark Automotive Grand Prix race left the Hendrick Motorsports driver spinning and sparked a week of accountability.
While Elliott clawed back to a fourth-place finish, Chastain’s regret lingered. Now, the Trackhouse Racing star is grappling with the consequences of a move he calls “a bad decision.”
Ross Chastain Owns Up to COTA Mistake That Derailed Chase Elliott
The chaos began seconds after the green flag. Chastain dove low into Turn 1, squeezing between Kyle Larson and teammate Daniel Suárez. His No. 1 Chevrolet locked brakes, sliding into Elliott’s left rear and sending the No. 9 car spiraling to 36th place.
Ross Chastain cleans out Chase Elliott on Lap 1.#NASCAR
pic.twitter.com/VeRuT9QSRb— 24/7 NASCAR (@NASCAR247) March 2, 2025
“From the outside, it doesn’t look good. The intention was … it was an error, a big error, to go bottom of five [wide]. That was not necessary,” Chastain admitted days later at Phoenix Raceway. “I wish I wouldn’t have did it. Told Chase that and cleared the air there.”
The incident, which also collected Denny Hamlin and Connor Zilisch, drew immediate backlash from Elliott’s team. Chastain’s remorse deepened after reviewing replays.
“Bad, bad decision to go inside of [Larson] after he went inside of [Suárez],” he said. “Incorrectly, I thought we were slow enough that the way [Tyler Reddick] launched in the box, I felt slow down the front, so I thought I had plenty of ability to brake.”
But the damage was done. Elliott’s shot at contending vanished instantly, a bitter pill for the 2020 champion, who called his car’s handling post-collision “frustrating.” Chastain, meanwhile, spent the race’s final laps yielding positions to Elliott as penance.
“I owed him that and more,” he said.
Elliott’s Silent Fury and the Road Ahead
Elliott’s response was measured but pointed: “There’s not really a lot for me to comment on. I hate it happened,” he told reporters, refusing to divulge details of his conversation with Chastain.
“Those conversations are not for you guys. I think you all respect us enough to let that be.”
Chase Elliott didn't want to comment much on the Ross Chastain move at the start of COTA. He just knew the car didn't run as well as it had the day prior. pic.twitter.com/9R3BbxeKs8
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) March 8, 2025
The Hendrick driver’s restraint stood out. His team had hinted at retaliation during the race, but Elliott opted for a methodical comeback instead. Fresh tires and strategy propelled him to fourth, a feat he called “proud” yet unsatisfying.
“I just hate we had to recover,” he said.
Fans now wonder if the tension will boil over. Chastain’s history of aggressive moves, like 2022’s “Hail Melon” Martinsville wall ride, has made him polarizing. Elliott, known for calm under fire, faces a choice to either let it go or settle scores later.
For Chastain, the lesson is clear. “I get to live with that,” he said of the COTA incident. But in NASCAR, mistakes rarely stay in the rearview.