NASCAR is no stranger to bad blood, and the latest saga between Ross Chastain and Joey Logano has fans buzzing about whether their truce will hold. The sport’s history is littered with feuds that flare up, cool off, and sometimes reignite when least expected. And now, despite the apparent show of truce, NASCAR fans believe that Logano and Chastain might not be done just yet; however, worse beefs have simmered down in the sport.
Take Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick’s 2011 Darlington clash. After a late-race collision, Busch shoved Harvick’s empty car into the pit wall, sparking a heated pit road showdown. Years later, in 2019, Harvick said they’d learned to “race each other with respect,” and Busch nodded along. That proved time can heal even the nastiest rivalries, as just earlier this year, the two sat down for a face-to-face interview on Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour podcast.
Then there’s the infamous 2012 Phoenix brawl between Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer. After weeks of on-track tension, Gordon intentionally wrecked Bowyer, ruining his title aspirations in what would be the closest Bowyer ever came to a championship, triggering a massive garage fight. Crews clashed, and Bowyer sprinted to confront Gordon.
Fast-forward to 2022, both retired and chuckled about it on FOX’s Race Hub, sharing beers and stories like old pals. These resolutions show NASCAR’s knack for turning heated moments into distant memories. They also hint at how fragile peace can be when egos and fenders collide. So, can Logano and Chastain recover from their beef? Well, here’s how it’s been cooked so far in 2025.
A summary of Ross Chastain v Joey Logano in 2025
Ross Chastain v Joey Logano kicked off at Martinsville early in the season. After an aggressive move into a turn by Chastain led to him moving Chase Briscoe up the track, the latter crashed into Joey Logano. After the race, the Team Penske #22 said, “He just races like a jacka– every week.” They didn’t get in each other’s grill until more recently at the Chicago Street Race, which ignited this beef.
On a late race restart, the field was bunched up trying to maneuver the tricky Turn 1 of the Chicago Street Course. Austin Cindric locked up, creating a chain reaction that involved Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, and many others, including Ross Chastain! The #1 Trackhouse Chevrolet got spun after accidental contact with Logano, but the melon man saw red. In a moment of rage, Chastain ran straight into Logano’s back bumper in Turn 2, spinning him out into Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Logano was fuming.
On his radio, Logano let out an expletive-laden outburst: “Ross better get the f—– information right before he goes and wrecks somebody. There’s f—— six cars behind me wrecking into me, and then he destroys me from four back. That m———–.” Logano then confronted him on pit road, and then went to NASCAR, claiming Chastain admitted he intentionally wrecked him, for which NASCAR had fined and even suspended drivers like Denny Hamlin in the past.
The whole week leading up to the next race at Sonoma, Logano was ranting about Chastain in the media, and Chastain responded to all of this by saying, “There’s three sides to every story, one side was just a lot louder this week.” Sonoma went by incident-free, and at Dover the following weekend, despite some bumps and rough driving, it stayed clean, and ahead of the Brickyard 400, Logano and Chastain had appeared to have squashed it all.
Ross Chastain and Joey Logano
The two took part in a tire test at Loudon, after which Chastain admitted on Saturday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “Joey and I, we’re so similar, and I like it. For me, I think it’s a compliment that we think that way, just in life and business, and racing… We had a good time in Loudon for the tire test, good conversation, and good laughs in the garage yesterday.”
Logano also laid it out: “The best thing you can always do is talk things out and try to come to a common ground, try to come to a resolution somehow.” He gave Chastain a choice. Keep the fight ugly or race with respect. Chastain clearly picked the latter, as Logano added, “I think it was pretty clear to probably both of us, it wasn’t gonna end pretty. So, probably best for both of us to find a common ground to where we can move forward and race each other in a respectful way.”
Still, fans aren’t so sure this truce will stick, especially with the playoffs looming large on both drivers. The pair’s similar hard-charging styles mean more run-ins are likely. NASCAR’s history of “resolved” feuds shows peace can be short-lived. Busch and Harvick found calm, but it took years. Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer needed retirement to laugh it off. Chastain and Logano’s ceasefire feels fresh, but one wrong move could spark round two.
Will the truce hold? Fans have their say
Fans on Reddit aren’t holding their breath for lasting peace between Chastain and Logano, and their takes capture the sport’s gritty reality. Here’s what they’re saying. One wrote, “Sure. It’s always buried until something else happens involving each other. Then it’s ‘this a—— has been driving me like this all season.’” This nails NASCAR’s cycle of feuds. Chastain and Logano’s Loudon laughs came just weeks after Chicago’s spin and Dover’s bumps. And if they tangle in the playoffs again, who’s to say it can’t reignite?
“This doesn’t totally surprise me. It’s the same reason Joey was never really going to retaliate against Austin Dillon.” Logano’s strategic smarts shine here. After Austin Dillon wrecked him at Richmond in 2024 to win the race, Logano called it “chickens— move” but didn’t escalate, focusing on his title chase as Dillon’s playoff spot was revoked anyway. His Chastain truce feels like the same playbook, prioritizing points over payback, but this time, Ross will be in the playoffs, adding another layer to the drama.
“‘And I bury hatchets, but I keep maps of where I put ‘em’ – Taylor Swift – Joey Logano.” This fan’s quip, tying Logano to a Swift lyric, hits the mark. Logano’s “resolution” with Chastain doesn’t erase Chicago’s spin or Dover’s contact. Grudges linger, ready to resurface. Another added, “Bury the hatchet, only to dig it out and start slashing each other 2 minutes later.” Well, knowing how easily these two can overreact after on-track incidents, this fan isn’t too far off.
What do you think of the simmering beef between Ross Chastain and Joey Logano? Let us know in the comments!
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