When Ross Chastain watched Shane van Gisbergen charge from 24th to first at Watkins Glen last month, he didn't just see a teammate's victory—he saw a blueprint for his own success.

Van Gisbergen's stunning comeback at the 2.45-mile road course, where he erased a 29.2-second deficit to win by seven seconds, gave the entire Trackhouse Racing team a massive lift. For Chastain, who hasn't visited victory lane in 35 races, it was a powerful reminder that the equipment is championship-caliber.

"It was big for Shane to win," Chastain said during a recent visit to Nashville for the unveiling of the guitar trophies for the upcoming Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway. "Honestly and personally, it puts it on me because I know our cars are built the same. It's a reminder that our cars are well-built and capable of winning."

The win marked van Gisbergen's seventh career Cup Series victory—all on road courses, tying him with Chase Elliott for third all-time in that category. But the former Australian Supercars champion's success wasn't just about his undeniable road course expertise. It was about the machine beneath him.

"I go back and look at it and watch what Shane did, and we know that I had the same racecar," Chastain explained. "We definitely did not execute that final stage anywhere close to acceptable. It's humbling to know how fast he is. I'm just proud to know that Trackhouse built three cars that were identical."

Chastain finished 27th at Watkins Glen but believes better decisions in the final stage could have netted a top-10 result. The experience has fueled his drive heading into Nashville, where he won the Cracker Barrel 400 in 2023—the first year it was a night race. After a daytime start in 2024, the event returns to the night schedule this year, with a 6 p.m. CT start on May 31.

"Hopefully, I can keep evolving and getting closer," Chastain said, channeling the confidence from his teammate's triumph into his own pursuit of victory lane.