Chase Briscoe’s bid for the 2024 Cup Series championship came to a halt following his 36th-place finish in the Round of 12 elimination race at the Charlotte Roval. It not only dashed his title hopes but also marked the end of the road for Stewart-Haas Racing in this season’s playoffs.
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He was the only driver from the team to contend in the postseason, clinching the chance by winning the final race of the regular season at Darlington. Most of Tony Stewart’s drivers have already secured spots with new teams, except for Ryan Preece, and Briscoe is set to join Joe Gibbs Racing next year to pilot the No. 19 Toyota Camry XSE.
Amid these transitions, the No. 14 driver has expressed concern for his soon-to-be former SHR colleagues who are yet to secure jobs for next season. He opened himself up during a post-race interview with NBC Sports in Charlotte. While he regrets not advancing to the Championship 4, he remains enthusiastic about the four remaining races he has with Stewart-Haas Racing.
He further delved deeper into the reality of the team’s situation and said, “It stings. Not even really for myself, just all the employees at Stewart-Haas. They were all kind of living through the No. 14 car, and the environment we have had these last few weeks has been really exciting to be a part of. I hate that it is coming to an end.”
“That was keeping a lot of people, honestly, in the building. Hopefully, the repercussions aren’t too bad, but we have four races left, and we are going to give it everything we’ve got.” The NASCAR ecosystem always faces a difficult time when big teams such as Stewart-Haas Racing quit the fold. The only certainty right now is that it will soon bounce back healthier.
Chase Briscoe finds a ray of hope with a joyful event off the track
Chase and Marissa Briscoe welcomed newborn twins just before the Round of 12 elimination race in Charlotte. The happy occasion provides a sweet counterbalance to the driver’s professional setbacks. Even though his quest for the championship has ended, he takes joy from the fact that two little babies are waiting for him at home.
Briscoe shared his complex emotions ahead of the race. He acknowledged that the bigger picture might overshadow his race outcome and understood that not everything was about the track anymore. Yet, he also recognized the added responsibility and talked about how he now has two more mouths to feed.
He entered the race with strong confidence in his abilities. But his optimism was tested on the track. On Lap 35, he suffered a setback when he lost a right rear tire from 19th place and had to pit. Austin Dillon then clipped him on Lap 40, leading to further complications. Ultimately, he got to complete only 41 laps.
