Chase Briscoe finally caught hold of Victory Lane after securing four pole positions and leading laps in eight races since the beginning of his maiden season driving the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry XSE. Despite the memorable moment that has confirmed him a playoff berth, he is wary of the lessons he must take away.
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The race came down to some exciting final laps with Briscoe needing to save as much fuel as possible while keeping his lead under pressure from Denny Hamlin and Ryan Blaney. He was able to execute this with precision with the able help of his crew chief, James Small. Small had repeatedly forced him to slow down on the throttle to save fuel, and it ended up being the right call.
The distance between Briscoe and Hamlin had increased when he did so. Briscoe was asked, in his post-race interview, if this surprised him. He said, “Yeah, a little bit… It’s crazy. When you’re right there on the limit, pushing past it, and you’re typically going slower. Today, lifting as early as I was, we tried to make the straightaways as long as possible. Certainly something to be learned from that.”
.@chasebriscoe seconds @james_small’s comments about his driving style. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/51wYQR0u4O
— Frontstretch (@Frontstretch) June 23, 2025
There had been moments during the race when Small had asked him to drive even slower than he was, and Briscoe had simply been unable to. At the end of it all, he crossed the checkered flag 0.682 seconds ahead of Hamlin and punched his way into the playoffs. The 30-year-old led 72 laps and parked his car with fuel still left in the tank.
The evolution of the relationship between Briscoe and Small
The driver spoke to the press after the race and detailed the things he must do differently, and follow what Small expects of him. Small had earlier said in his post-race interview that Briscoe has the habit of driving it until he sees Jesus. Briscoe affirmed this with a slight laugh and appreciated Small for the guide that he is.
He said, “I wouldn’t say that it’s been smooth sailing, between James and me, from the get-go. In the early parts of the season, they were like, ‘Hey, we want you to drive this way.’ It just didn’t feel right to me. I had to go to them and say, ‘Just let me do my normal thing, and if it works, great. If not, then I will really try to change my whole style.'”
Fortunately, Small had trusted Briscoe and vice versa. A car that suited Briscoe’s driving style was set up by the crew, and the effects of the same are clearly visible. Hopefully, this won’t be the last time that the duo gets the No. 19 Camry to Victory Lane.
