Chase Briscoe had been knocking on the door of victory all season and finally broke through at Pocono, delivering a milestone win under the pressured circumstances. Piloting a new manufacturer’s car (Toyota) for Joe Gibbs Racing while stepping into the challenging spot left by Martin Truex Jr., Briscoe found himself navigating both technical complexities and the pressures that come with elite expectations.
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He had earlier admitted struggling to adjust to the depth of data and systems unique to his new team, a challenge that only magnified the intensity of his Pocono win.
Still, as the series heads to Atlanta, Briscoe conceded that victory has not lessened the burden, but instead shifted its shape. “There is definitely a sigh of relief, just a weight off your shoulders,” he admitted during the media session.
“I’m expected to win multiple races, not just win one and be done. I think the pressure just continues to ratchet up, but it is definitely nice to just get a win and just try to know that I can do it.”
He described the duality of the moment with rare candor. To him, the win has given him a “weird sense of feelings, because there is a sense of relief, but there is also a sense of more pressure because now, they know you can win, just a unique situation for myself.”
With one Cup win, Briscoe’s season summary includes six top-five finishes and eight top-10s, positioning him ninth in the championship standings, 173 points adrift of leader William Byron.
Briscoe believes things are working out perfectly in the No. 19 team
While Briscoe initially had doubts about how long it might take to find his rhythm within the Joe Gibbs Racing structure, he now appears to have settled into the fold.
He acknowledged the early part of the season as a steep learning curve but believes that over the past four or five weeks, the team has made significant strides and reached a promising juncture.
Still, Briscoe maintained that the group has room to sharpen its edge. Although he praised the recent growth in communication and mutual trust, he emphasized that the path to peak cohesion remains long.
According to the JGR driver, the foundation laid during the opening phase of the season was encouraging, even if marked by growing pains. Now, however, he feels the No. 19 crew has established a strong internal rapport, one that continues to improve with each passing race.
