By now, everyone knows who Ross Chastain is.  The question is: who do you know him as?

Is he the guy who made the Championship Four by making an unprecedented video game move, riding the wall at Martinsville on the final lap?

Is he the guy who smashes watermelons when he wins?

Or, is he the guy who has caused, seemingly every wreck in the Cup Series over the last year. 

It has gotten to the ridiculous point that he doesn’t even need to be at the same end of the track as the wreck; he will get blamed for it.  In other words, he has become the other driver’s easy punching bag.

How much does it bother Chastain?  At least publicly, not one bit.  And, good for him.  Was he, maybe, a little too aggressive at times early last year?  Maybe.  But, not to the extent that he’s getting blamed for everything that happens now. 

His job is to win races.  Just because he’s making moves to do so that others may not want to make does not make him wrong.  Despite what you may keep hearing from other drivers, I’m not seeing a dirty driver out there.  I’m just seeing a guy, maybe a little more willing to stick his nose in there to pick up a spot when he has a chance.