Stewart-Haas Racing’s Chase Briscoe, the driver of the #14 Ford Mustang Dark Horse, is in the most taxing situation of his career. He is yet to win a race and finalize his spot in the playoffs with just ten races to go in the regular season. Adding to his challenges on the track is the job hunt he is on following his team’s announcement of closure at the end of the season.
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Briscoe recently revealed that he was allowed to start looking for his next job only on May 28 – the day Tony Stewart formally told his drivers that all four of the team’s charters were being sold. He explained, “So, literally while I was sitting in the room, I started texting different people just letting them know, ‘Hey, I’m going to be available and need to try to find something.”
Looking for a job is as generic for a NASCAR driver as it is for the rest of the world. He noted that he has gotten in touch with people from other teams and tried selling himself while simultaneously working on picking up performance on the race track. He understands that finding a job amidst competition from his teammates, other contenders, and the drivers from the lower tiers won’t be easy.
Despite all the odds stacked against him, he has no option but to push harder until he gets a seat. “I’m not like some of the other people where they have a family business or something like that,” he reasoned. “You know, with a two and a half year old and a wife and then twins on the way, I definitely can’t afford to be left out and not have anything.”
Could Chase Briscoe find a home in Joe Gibbs Racing and replace Martin Truex Jr.?
The ongoing silly season is set to be one of the most exciting ones in recent times. With time and fate appearing to make reality from the wildest speculations, no rumor can be ignored as impossible. Amongst these possibilities is Briscoe replacing Martin Truex Jr. in the #19 Toyota Camry XSE at Joe Gibbs Racing. Truex Jr. has been courting retirement for a long time now and this could be when he finally calls it quits.
Should he do so, Briscoe is one of the best replacements Coach Gibbs could add to his arsenal. Retired icon Kevin Harvick mentioned the same in his podcast this week and noted the importance of JGR starting to rebuild the #19 team like it has been doing with Christopher Bell and Ty Gibbs. Briscoe, most definitely, would have his stars to thank for should the move happen.
