Driver of the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota in 2025, Chase Briscoe is one driver who many would not have put on their list to challenge for the title this year. However, despite his underdog image, the Mitchell, Indiana, native has punched his way into the Final 4, joining the likes of Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson, all in his first year with a new team and manufacturer.
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Briscoe rising to the occasion when presented with the opportunity to run with a powerhouse team such as JGR has shown to the world the caliber of driver that he is, and his hometown fans are all the more pleased for it. Ahead of the championship decider at Phoenix this Sunday, the 30-year-old elaborated on how the support all the way back from his home state of Indiana, especially his hometown of Mitchell, has been.
“My entire high school gym is doing like a watch party. They say there’s going to be 1500 people there. I don’t think our gym even holds 1500 people. The American Legion is going to do a watch party, too. My whole career, whether I was even in ARCA or now Cup, just that area has always been a huge supporter of mine,” he revealed.
“It’s wild,” admitted Briscoe, moved by the amount of support he sees from a relatively small town of approximately 3500 people. He further elaborated on how not only folk from his town, but people from further away are joining in for the proposed watch party. “It’s crazy just to see the support that you have.”
“They’re not from a town of 3500 people, right? It’s different whenever you come from that small of a town. I’ve seen people from literally two, three hours away talking about how they’re going to drive to Mitchell just to watch,” he added.
NBC Sports is also expected to cover the watch party being held at the high school gym, with a live view and a possible documentary-style publication coming out of it in the future, further driving home the gravity of what Chase Briscoe is on the brink of achieving, and what that means to his people back home.
Hailing from the state home to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, an undeniable mecca of speed in the country, it is easy to see why people are enthused by Briscoe challenging for the Cup title this weekend. With stiff competition from his teammate Hamlin and two of Hendrick’s finest to endure, it now remains to be seen if he can rise to the occasion once again and prove his calibre as a champion of the sport.
