Chastain watching his mirrors in playoff elimination race

Ross Chastain heads into the first elimination race of NASCAR’s playoffs in a pretty comfortable position above the cutline. Kyle Busch, Austin Dillon, Chase Briscoe and Kevin Harvick are trying to stave off elimination Saturday night at Bristol Motor Speedway. And yet Chastain can’t relax, even as he sits ninth in the 16-driver field. The bottom four in the standings will be eliminated when the checkered flag falls at the Tennessee short track, and Chastain can’t guarantee he won’t be knocked below that cutline. He’s angered enough fellow drivers this year that any payback headed his way could be delivered at a most inopportune time.