Ryan Blaney had plenty of difficulties with Ross Chastain during the 2023 season finale at Phoenix Raceway. Blaney ended that day as the Cup champion, but Chastain won the race, and the two seem to have built quite the rivalry.
Although neither seemed to carry it over to the start of this season, the pair appear to have changed their tune — especially with this past weekend's race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.
Blaney and Chastain have quickly grown on each other's nerves it seems, as they continue to make it harder for the other to pass.
Dustin Albino from NASCAR.com was able to catch some of Blaney's radio comments about Chastain in Las Vegas.
"Tell that dumf*uck to be smart. What a d*ck," Blaney said of Chastain, who barely cleared the No. 12 off Turn 4.
Both drivers ended the day with top 5 finishes, with Blaney's No. 12 in third just ahead of Chastain's No. 1 Chevy.
Following the race, Chastain had something of his own to say about Blaney. Blaney's comments last season about Chastain's blocking at Phoenix were thrown back at him, as Blaney blocked Chastain in the final laps of this race.
Fox Sports' Bob Pockrass asked Chastain about his battle with Blaney in the final 20 laps of the race.
Ross Chastain, when talking about the final 20 laps, couldn?t help himself to mention that Ryan Blaney was blocking him (remember Phoenix)? Chastain: ?It was pretty cool to see his evolution with the air blocking. I was proud of him.? pic.twitter.com/5VNhjQLkpw
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) March 4, 2024
"I knew our balance was going to play into putting two tires on, and it did," Chastain said. "The 5 (Larson) and I had a few side drafts and knew when we couldn't get to the lead that we had to play defense, and I really just ran as fast as I could there at the end. It was pretty cool to see Blaney blocking me at the end, pretty cool to see his evolution with air blocking. I was proud of him."
The Ross Chastain who makes noise looks to be back in full force. This version doesn't care whom he angers, and he's hard to beat when he competes with that passion.
Chastain may have been trying to poke a little fun at Blaney, and it didn't go unnoticed. Blaney later tweeted a GIF on his X page of Chancellor Palpatine from "Star Wars" mouthing the words "It's ironic."
https://t.co/Ae3q453b3q pic.twitter.com/DOsuToCv9s
— Ryan Blaney (@Blaney) March 4, 2024
It's fair to say the Chastain-Blaney feud is heating up.
