Chase Briscoe joined the exclusive list of drivers who have conquered one of NASCAR’s crown jewels, the Southern 500, more than once. While his first win came with raw emotion, Sunday night’s was pure joy, made sweeter with his wife and son Brooks by his side on the track.
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Recalling the unforgettable scene, Briscoe described lifting his son while still in his helmet, placing him on the hood of the No. 19 Toyota Camry, and letting him point a finger skyward to signal No. 1 to the crowd.
He laughed that the video would certainly be saved for his son’s future girlfriend or wife to see. “In Victory Lane, he’s drinking a milkshake, high-fiving everybody, standing on the car. It’s pretty cool,” Briscoe said.
The driver also drew a sharp contrast to last year’s celebration. Back then, his former crew chief Richard Boswell hugged Briscoe, little Brooks caught a punch to the face by accident, and spent the moment in tears.
“He didn’t get to do the experience because he was so sad and crying because his face got punched,” Briscoe remembered and stated that this year was a way better experience for all of them.
He added, “It’s cool to obviously have him here. I have my family here. The twins are here. First time they’ve ever been here. Even getting to have Brooks ride with me in the car. I watched Harvick do it all the time with his kids.
“For me and him, we’ve talked about doing that. It’s never worked out to where he’s either here or he’s been punched in the face, and he didn’t want to get in the car because he was so sad. Definitely was a special night from that standpoint.”
It’s job done for Briscoe, for now at least
With the victory, the No. 19 JGR driver now sits atop the playoff picture as Joe Gibbs Racing hunts its first Cup Series title since Kyle Busch’s championship run in 2019.
Last year’s win punched his playoff ticket, but this time the win carried even more weight, as it propelled him straight into the Round of 12.
Briscoe, who qualified on the front row, took control early and rarely looked back, pacing the field for 309 of 367 laps while fending off Tyler Reddick to back up last year’s breakthrough at the track “Too Tough To Tame.”
