CONCORD, N.C. — Ross Chastain said he’s “confused” by what Joey Logano said about him after last weekend’s race at Martinsville and that Logano’s name-calling was “not warranted.”
Logano blamed Chastain for triggering an incident that led to Logano spinning in the final stage of last weekend’s race at Martinsville.
Chase Briscoe and Logano raced side-by-side behind Chastain when Briscoe came up the track and hit Logano, who spun.
“It was just kind of like a pick them off one at a time kind of thing and then Ross just sticking it in a tight spot,” Logano said. “He did it to me on the restart before. I can’t even blame Briscoe for shipping him. I think he got himself in a bind trying to ship him. He just races like a jackass every week and I keep paying the price. I’m sick of paying the price.”
Asked if there was anything to say to Chastain, Logano said: “Not at the moment. Nothing good.”
Chastain, speaking to reporters Wednesday at NASCAR’s Production Facility, was asked about Logano’s comments.
“I am confused by what he’s said,” Chastain said. “I haven’t heard since he got out of the car and had time to cool down and look at it. I don’t believe that (Briscoe) was trying to get to me. I don’t think that.
“When I got down in front of the 22 the first time, there was a gap. Other guys had done that to me. That’s a very common move to get down in line. He took that opportunity to, I think, he hit me harder than he needed to.
“He’s mad from COTA. He says that I pushed a car into him late in the race. When I first heard about it, I honestly didn’t understand what they were saying he said. … I just couldn’t believe what they were saying and what they were telling me he said.
“I would hope that he looked at it and had a little clear mind. He’s a three-time champ. He can say what he wants, but those words have a lot of weight and to just get out and spew that, call me those names is not appreciated. Not warranted I don’t think.
“Honestly, pretty disappointing that he would do that, to take feelings he had from COTA and other races and then take Martinsville and get out and just blast that. If you give him five minutes, maybe he calms down. I don’t want to speak for him. He won a stage, so he knew he was getting interviewed. I was sixth. I didn’t get interviewed. They take the top five and the stage winners. Honestly surprised is an understatement to hear what he said and don’t agree with what he’s saying.”
As for the incident at Circuit of the Americas, Chastain said: “COTA is kind of like a lot of running into people and to blame a car two cars back, OK, he can do it, and I took it. He can have that. (Martinsville) I wrecked him from in front of him. It’s like, I don’t know, he’s hearing footsteps when I’m not there.”
Chastain said Wednesday that he and Logano had not talked.
“He said on his interview he didn’t want to talk to me, and I’m not going to call him,” Chastain said. “I don’t need to call him. The whole calling, texting ... it’s like tiring at times.
“Pretty disappointed, though, to hear a guy like that, his caliber, his experience just blast that stuff out there. Personally, I feel that I need to defend myself. ... I’m sitting here in front of you all and you ask me about, I’ll talk about it. Pretty, pretty disappointed.”
