{"id":1565014,"date":"2023-05-15T15:58:00","date_gmt":"2023-05-15T19:58:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/?p=1565014"},"modified":"2023-05-15T16:03:02","modified_gmt":"2023-05-15T20:03:02","slug":"cliff-daniels-warned-chevy-about-ross-chastain-opening-salvo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/news\/cliff-daniels-warned-chevy-about-ross-chastain-opening-salvo\/","title":{"rendered":"Cliff Daniels Warned Chevy About Ross Chastain, and It Was Just the Opening Salvo"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Ross Chastain<\/a> is the dog that chases cars in the street because his owner refuses to keep him leashed in the yard. It\u2019s only a matter of time before one of those cars gets him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The odds suggest it\u2019ll be a Chevy that does it. If it\u2019s not the car itself, then it might be the manufacturer. Kyle Larson<\/a> crew chief Cliff Daniels was the first to deliver that message on Sunday at Darlington Raceway, but he wasn\u2019t the last.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cliff Daniels has had enough of Ross Chastain<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"Kyle
Kyle Larson, Rick Hendrick, an Cliff Daniels talk in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Championship at Phoenix Raceway on Nov. 7, 2021. | Christian Petersen\/Getty Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Kyle Larson was in command of the Goodyear 400 at Darlington Raceway<\/a> when Ryan Newman brought out a caution flag on Lap 266 of the scheduled 293. Late cautions are both a common occurrence and a blight on the sport; they often negate the dominance of superior cars by bringing them back to the pack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the restart, Kyle Larson led the field to the green from the inside with Ross Chastain beside him and put the squeeze on the No. 1 Chevy, pinning him on the wall. The move went for naught, as Chastain held a slim lead an instant later when the caution flag waved for a multi-car incident behind the leaders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the next restart on Lap 288, it was Chastain\u2019s turn to lead from the bottom, and he tried the same move. However, Chastain was more aggressive while running Larson up the track and got the nose of his car too far out front. Consequently, the contact with the No. 5 Chevy turned the front of Chastain\u2019s car toward the wall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The wreck took Chastain out of the race and Larson out of contention, and Hendrick Motorsports crew chief Cliff Daniels<\/a> was furious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Why did he just run us right into the fence? How does that make any sense?” he blurted on the radio. “Make that three races he's taken us out of, Chevrolet. Good job. Good job. That's three races that that ‘1' car has taken us out of.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fact that Daniels addressed his remarks to the car manufacturer rather than NASCAR was telling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hendrick Motorsports is taking its case to a higher court<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n

"That's 3 races that that 1 car has taken us out of."

Cliff Daniels is not happy with @RossChastain<\/a>.#NASCAR<\/a> #Goodyear400<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/LmFvjsr3Nf<\/a><\/p>— NASCAR on TSN (@NASCARonTSN) May 14, 2023<\/a><\/blockquote>