“That was a bummer”: Trackhouse boss speaks out on the team’s ‘tough spot’ after Ross Chastain and Daniel Suarez Sonoma tangle

Trackhouse Racing entered Sonoma with momentum, until teammates Ross Chastain and Daniel Suárez tangled midway through the race. At the Toyota/Save Mart 350 finish line, the team walked away with a win, a radio blow-up, and a mess to clean up.

Trackhouse Racing had two race winners and a dominant road course ace in Shane van Gisbergen going into Wine Country. Chastain had just won Stage 1 but misjudged his braking in Turn 11 and slammed into the back of Suárez's No. 99 Chevrolet. The collision sent the Mexican driver spinning into the hairpin and dropped him to 29th.

Just a week prior, Trackhouse announced Suárez would part ways with the team at the end of 2025, with him desperately hunting a win to make the playoffs. While he rebounded to 14th after late cautions, Chastain ended up finishing 24th as Shane van Gisbergen cruised to his third win of the season.

On SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Trackhouse boss Justin Marks acknowledged the damage but confirmed the drivers had already talked things out.

"It's just sort of a tough spot for the team. I think the important thing in those positions is that the two guys have an opportunity to talk about it and get over it, so we can prepare as a team for Dover. And they did that this morning. I think he's (Suarez) still upset about it for sure, but the good news is that they had the conversation and tried to sort of clear the air a little bit," Marks said. (0:25 onwards)

Marks didn't sugarcoat the implications either.

"It just was kind of a worst-case scenario because it's two of our cars. Certainly, not what we want as a company. We want our guys working together and trying to be strong together on the racetrack and give the team the best opportunity. So that was a bummer," he added.

It left Sonoma a day of mixed emotions for Trackhouse Racing. SVG continued his road course dominance. Ross Chastain, already playoff-bound thanks to his Coca-Cola 600 triumph, wasted a Stage 1 win, and Suárez remains winless. With just six races left in the regular season, the No. 99 remains outside the playoff cutline at 29th in points.

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"Do not blame him for that": Justin Marks addresses Daniel Suarez's radio outburst on Ross Chastain after Sonoma clash

Daniel Suarez (L) and Ross Chastain during the NASCAR Cup Series Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma. Source: Getty

If emotions were running high on the track, they exploded on the radio. Following the lap 45 incident at the hairpin, Daniel Suárez didn't hold back, threatening retribution if he caught up to Ross Chastain (via NASCAR):

"You better hope I don't get to him today."

During the Stage 2 break, Chastain, according to his spotter, offered an apology, admitting the miscalculation. But for Suárez, the damage was done. He stewed for the remainder of the race and didn't hold back post-race either:

"If it (the talk) doesn't happen , he's gonna get it back."

Justin Marks, however, backed both sides in his SiriusXM appearance.

"I certainly understand the frustration on Daniel's side. I mean, Ross just got into the corner too hot... and spun Daniel out. Ross was really kicking himself for that. He got on the radio during the stage break and took full responsibility for it. Daniel was upset afterwards, do not blame him for that for one second," he explained. (0:01 onwards)

Now, with road courses behind them for a while, the team looks ahead to Dover, where the focus shifts from tight turns to raw horsepower. Sunday's AutoTrader EchoPark Automotive 400 at Dover Motor Speedway marks the start of a six-race sprint to the playoffs.

Ross Chastain (1) leads Martin Truex Jr (19) during the Wurth 400 at Dover Motor Speedway. Source: Imagn

SVG will make his Dover Cup debut, while Chastain returns to a track where he's had two top-fives in 10 starts, but never a win. In the Next Gen era, Ross Chastain boasts the best average finish (5.7) at the Monster Mile among active racers.

With playoff hopes fading and tensions now resolved, Dover may be less about revenge and more about redemption for Daniel Suárez.

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Edited by Tushar Bahl