Can Chase Briscoe Match up to Martin Truex Jr. At JGR? Crew Chief Outlines Expectations for NASCAR Driver

A week back, James Small would’ve known Chase Briscoe as just another driver his car would have to beat on the race track. But he is now far more acquainted with the 29-year-old and aware of his ambitions and expectations. The reason for the familiarization process is Joe Gibbs Racing’s decision to pair him with the driver in 2025 to serve the #19 Toyota Camry XSE.

An hour-long chat with Briscoe, days before the signing announcement, provided Small with a reflection of what he could fairly expect from the newbie. Having been the crew chief for Martin Truex Jr, an icon of the sport, he is also now able to provide a view of how the old and the new stack up against each other. He opened up on the same to Fox Sports reporter Bob Pockrass.

“Chase has to prove himself,” he said. “He has been in a car that has not been that great. Now he is stepping into one of the most coveted rides in NASCAR. I really believe after sitting down and talking to him that he is ready to do what it takes to win. I think we can come out and win.” The clear calculation from the chief is that the team will be running out front from Day 1.

The chat did more than just reveal expectations. Small said that he got to understand the driver’s preferences for the way a car drives and how that translates into what he usually gave Truex Jr. He added, “I think there is a lot of similarity with what their balance was and what they both need to have confidence in the car. I think it can be a little of a plug-n-play, to be honest.”

James Small expresses confidence that Briscoe can perform well from the get-go

Briscoe is currently in his fourth season in the Cup Series. He has one premier tier win, 11 Xfinity Series wins, and two Truck Series wins. These exploits make him more experienced than many other drivers on the field. And they are what instill Small with the confidence that the driver can be a great fit in the team.

He said, on SiriusXM, “When you really break it down and look at the stats. You know, a lot of the young guys, how many races it took them to go on and win that first race and do it on a consistent level. He has already crossed that mark. He has done a lot of the learning and hopefully, he is gonna jump into our car and be on it from the get-go.”