Due to the Olympics this year, NASCAR is on a two-week break which will conclude at the end of this week as NBC Sports and the USA Network cover Team USA’s endeavors in Paris. Most drivers feel that it is a much-needed interval considering the length of a complete season. However, it is not easy for everybody to switch off their racing mentality.
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Several drivers have not been on a break in the middle of a season throughout their careers. The Stewart-Haas Racing drivers were recently asked if it was hard to switch off. They all had different answers.
For Chase Briscoe, getting his mind off racing is tough in the first few days of the break but it gets easier as time passes. Switching off in the second week and then getting back into a racing mindset is easier for the future Joe Gibbs Racing driver. “I think it’s hard the first couple of days. Like Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, it’s a little challenging. But especially this year with it being two weeks off, it’ll be a lot easier that second week to kind of forget everything and then get back into the groove that following week,” he said.
How do you know your two year old watches a lot of sprint car races? Already has the push truck dialed in 😂 pic.twitter.com/VbuqVtPviH
— Chase Briscoe (@ChaseBriscoe_14) August 1, 2024
His teammate Ryan Preece on the other hand could not switch off from racing altogether. Not being used to such breaks during a season has perhaps contributed to that. “For me, it’s not possible,” he said. “I feel like these two weeks are certainly an opportunity to spend time with your family and try to shut it off. But when you’re trying to compete and do all those things, it’s hard to shut it all off.”
While the two SHR veterans find it difficult to switch off in the middle of the season, Noah Gragson has a differing opinion. The driver of the #10 Ford cherished the only time he would spend with friends and family and switched off completely. Such an outlook often helps drivers come back stronger as racing gets underway again.
“I’ll take full advantage of not thinking about racing,” the 25-year-old said. “It’s strictly business once the season’s in effect, so with the break – luckily it’s two weeks – you can go on vacation. Some guys will relax. I like to go golf and have fun and go surf. That’s how I relax.”
None of these drivers will be teammates anymore at the end of the year as SHR shuts shop after the 2024 season. Until then, the three Ford-affiliated drivers seem motivated to end their tenure with the team on a high.
