While NASCAR’s road course domination was in full swing in Sonoma for Shane van Gisbergen, it wasn’t a bad day for the Joe Gibbs Racing ace, Chase Briscoe, either.
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It was his best Cup Series road course race to date. The No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing driver spent much of the afternoon outpacing his usual opponents and held a tight grip on the front row during late-race restarts.
Though he fell one spot short of the win, Briscoe walked away with more than just a runner-up finish. With his Pocono win already locking him into the playoffs, the Indiana native chalked it up as a banner day for points and momentum. For a driver who’s often found road courses a tough nut to crack, his efforts during the Sonoma race marked a big leap forward in his Cup résumé.
In recent weeks, the No. 19 team has shown real performance, with the numbers to back it up. With seven top-five finishes in just 20 starts and nine top-10s overall, Briscoe has already surpassed his career-best season in 2022, when he earned a win and six top-five results.
Still, Briscoe believes the limelight seldom finds him. “I feel like I get overlooked a lot of the time. Hopefully, we’ll be able to earn the respect of a lot of guys, not only drivers but everybody. This No. 19 car finally lets me kind of show what I feel like I’m capable of, and it’s just so fun to drive fast race cars.”
“I mean, I honestly think there have only been like two tracks all year long where we couldn’t have won the race from a speed standpoint. So yeah, it’s fun. I’m looking forward to next week. I know we’re going to have a great shot to win as well,” he added.
He also lauded his team, admitting he is not doing anything too differently, along with praising his Toyota Camry XSE’s speed and balance, which is making his time at JGR much more enjoyable.
Briscoe’s finish at Sonoma marked not only his seventh top-five of the season but also his first-ever top-10 at the Northern California road course. In his previous four appearances at the track, he had never placed higher than 13th, with last year’s effort ending in a forgettable 34th after starting 23rd. This time, though, he came to play and left a lasting impression.
