Known for bold and aggressive moves on the track, Ross Chastain is taking a more cautious approach in the 2025 NASCAR playoffs. On a recent episode of SpeedFreaks, the Florida driver, noted also as a watermelon farmer, emphasized the importance of risk management, especially at the World Wide Technology Raceway near St. Louis, which is making its playoff debut this season.
The race at World Wide Technology Raceway is the middle event in the Round of 16, positioned between the playoff opener at Darlington and the elimination race at Bristol. This round will reduce the initial field of 16 drivers down to 12 advancing into the next stage.
Prioritizing Survival and Points Over Aggressive Moves
Chastain clearly stated that minimizing risk is crucial during the first playoff round. Winning remains the ultimate goal in NASCAR, but the playoffs require a focus on advancing through the rounds, which sometimes means settling for a strong finish rather than pushing recklessly for a win.
You just have to minimize the risk,
Chastain said.
It’s the Round of 16. It’s our second race on September 7th of the playoffs. So trying to just make it through that first round is everything. I mean, our sport is built around winning, but the playoffs mean so much. And I missed them last year, okay? It was terrible.
—Ross Chastain, NASCAR driver
Thanks to an early-season victory at the Coca-Cola 600, Chastain has already secured his place in the playoffs, allowing him to focus on maintaining consistency and finishing races rather than constantly forcing risky moves.
I’ve worked really hard and we’ve won early enough this year in the Coca-Cola 600, the World 600, so that we’re locked in. So yes, when we go to World Wide Technology Raceway on September 7th, it’s going to be full of intention to finish that race.
—Ross Chastain, NASCAR driver
Managing Aggression at Risky Tracks
Chastain noted that winning a race and completing a race are very different challenges, particularly in the playoffs. When winning isn’t possible, accumulating points by finishing as high as possible becomes the top priority to secure advancement to the next round.
He shared an example from the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis, where a crash ended his day prematurely. Chastain acknowledged that aggressive blocking and racing side-by-side contributed to the incident, lessons he’s taking into the upcoming races.
Sometimes that means going slower,
Chastain explained.
At Indianapolis (for the Brickyard 400), I got crashed running in the 30s, but it’s because we were all kind of fading over to the left, blocking each other, and (Michael) McDowell got into us. No problem there.
—Ross Chastain, NASCAR driver
But if that’s at World Wide Technology Raceway in the playoffs, I’m not going to make that block that early in the race and live to see another lap.
—Ross Chastain, NASCAR driver
Adjusting Tactics for Playoff Success
Chastain recognizes that the playoffs demand a different mindset than the regular season. The stakes are higher, and mistakes can lead to elimination from championship contention. Balancing the desire to win with the need to finish races safely is essential, especially in the critical first round.
If a driver wins a race in the Round of 16, they automatically move on to the Round of 12. If not, points accumulated from finishing positions determine who advances. Chastain aims to use both his skills and strategic conservatism to avoid early exits.
Having missed the playoffs the previous year, Chastain is particularly motivated this season.
(Missing the playoffs last year) was a terrible feeling,
he admitted.
I hope I never have to experience it again.
—Ross Chastain, NASCAR driver
Balancing Patience With Bold Moves Late in the Race
Chastain emphasized the importance of simply reaching the finish line in a playoff race, even if that means dialing back aggression early on. However, he still believes in going all out towards the end of a race if a win is within reach.
It’d be a non-negotiable that I have to make it to the end of the race. That’s the thing. To finish first, first you must finish,
Chastain explained.
But the end of a race can so easily be a different story.
—Ross Chastain, NASCAR driver
At the end of the race, you go for it,
he said.
If you’ve got a chance to win, line up on the front row for the final restart, right? With a couple laps to go, make a run to the finish. You go for it and risk it all. It’s worth the risk at that point in my opinion.
—Ross Chastain, NASCAR driver
Implications for Chastain’s Playoff Journey
Chastain’s more cautious NASCAR playoff strategy could shape his chances of advancing deeper into the postseason. By valuing race completion and points over early-race aggression, he seeks to avoid expensive incidents that derailed his previous outings, such as the crash in Indianapolis.
As the Round of 16 unfolds, starting on September 7 at World Wide Technology Raceway, Chastain hopes this balanced approach will help him progress to the Round of 12 and beyond, keeping his championship aspirations alive after the setbacks of last season.