The Backstretch Season 5, Episode 32: Ross Chastain

Ryan Blaney gets the win at New Hampshire, continuing Team Penske's dominance on NASCAR's short, flat tracks. But with that portion of the regular-season schedule behind us, can Penske keep rolling as the series heads to very different tracks before returning to Phoenix and Martinsville late in the Chase? In Season 5, Episode 31 of The Backstretch Podcast, Heather Williams and crew chief Chris Carrier break down Blaney's victory, Penske's championship potential and everything that's on the line heading into the regular-season finale at Daytona. 🏁 What Matters / What Doesn't Austin Hill will remain in the No. 33 next season as he makes the move to full-time Cup Series racing. After stepping into some big shoes, what does the commitment mean for Hill and his future? Josh Berry scores his fourth consecutive Top 10, the longest streak of his Cup career. But with Berry still searching for a ride next season, does the late-season surge help his Silly Season prospects—or is it too little, too late? 🎤 Turn 5 – Five Minutes with Ross Chastain Ross Chastain joins the show with the Chase just one race away to talk about his season, the pressure surrounding the playoff cutoff and the unpredictability of racing at Daytona with everything on the line. 📻 Say What? – Radio Chatter Chase Elliott and the No. 9 team have an unusual problem during non-competitive pit stops when the tires are put on backward. Chris explains how a mistake like that happens—and why it's one teams simply can't afford to make. Joey Logano reacts after Carson Hocevar spins under caution while NASCAR is deciding whether conditions are good enough to return to green-flag racing at New Hampshire. Was trying to race in the wet worth the risk? 🛠 Pit Notes – Daytona It's all on the line at Daytona International Speedway. The regular-season finale will determine the final three spots in the Chase, and one unexpected winner could completely scramble the playoff picture. Chris Carrier breaks down what we're watching for at Daytona, how teams approach a superspeedway race when points are everything, and which three drivers he believes will grab those final Chase spots. One race. Three spots. And Daytona. What could possibly go wrong? Subscribe for weekly NASCAR analysis, exclusive driver interviews, radio chatter breakdowns and pit box perspective from inside the sport. #NASCAR #RyanBlaney #RossChastain #Daytona #DaytonaInternationalSpeedway #NASCARChase #TeamPenske #JoshBerry #AustinHill #BackstretchPodcast