Tensions Flare at Darlington: Ross Chastain Clashes with Elliott and Bell in Heated Battle
Darlington, SC — The Lady in Black lived up to her reputation once again as Ross Chastain found himself in the middle of a dramatic three-way clash with Chase Elliott and Christopher Bell during Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series showdown at Darlington Raceway.
The incident, which occurred with just under 40 laps to go, was the boiling point of aggressive driving, tight racing, and rising tempers that had been simmering all afternoon. As the trio battled for position inside the top 10, Chastain dove low into Turn 1, making contact with Bell and squeezing Elliott into the outside wall.
Video replays quickly made the rounds on social media, showing Chastain’s aggressive move triggering a chain reaction. Bell’s No. 20 Toyota wiggled up the track, clipping Elliott’s No. 9 Chevrolet, who had nowhere to go. Both drivers would lose critical track position, while Chastain escaped relatively unscathed — at least in terms of damage.
But it wasn’t over.
Post-race, Elliott was visibly frustrated, declining to comment in detail but hinting at payback down the line. Bell, who had raced clean all day, was more vocal, calling Chastain’s move “reckless and completely unnecessary” during a pit road interview.
Chastain, never one to shy away from controversy, defended his actions, stating: “I’m here to race. We were three-wide, and I went for the gap. If I lift there, I’m giving up positions. That’s not how I’m wired.”
This isn’t the first time Chastain has drawn heat from competitors, and Sunday’s drama adds another chapter to his growing reputation as NASCAR’s most polarizing driver. With the playoffs looming and tensions running high, Darlington may have just lit the fuse on some unfinished business heading into the stretch run.
