Winners of the final regular season race this year, Chase Briscoe is one driver whose career has taken several tumultuous turns over the past year. From driving full-time for Tony Stewart’s team in the NASCAR Cup Series to being let go as the organization dissolved its efforts in the highest echelon of the sport, Briscoe’s future in the top division has never been as certain as he would have liked.
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However, things did seemingly fall into place for the #14 Ford Mustang driver soon after SHR’s fateful future was announced earlier this season. In one of the biggest silly season moves of the year, Briscoe was announced as Martin Truex Jr.’s replacement at Joe Gibbs Racing next season, as the former plans to retire from full-time NASCAR competition at the end of this year.
The SHR driver recently shared how his boss Tony Stewart reacted to the news on a recent episode of Kevin Harvick’s Happy Hour. “He (Stewart) was over the moon and he’s like, ‘Man, that is the coolest thing I’ve heard all year long.’ He was just super excited for the opportunity that’s going to allow me to have. I was going to talk to him about advice and stuff and then it happened so quickly. He was obviously busy that day but it obviously worked out,” he said.
We ain’t done yet!!!! pic.twitter.com/YHlOoAltrb
— Chase Briscoe (@ChaseBriscoe_14) September 2, 2024
Briscoe also touched on what victory at one of NASCAR’s toughest tracks — during a crown jewel event — meant to him.
“The Darlington Xfinity win (2020) two days after our miscarriage was certainly emotional but it was emotional for different reasons and then when I won at Indianapolis that was emotional too but I would say last night was for sure the most emotional like rush I’ve gotten after the checkered flag. I never felt nervous. Nothing phased me.”
Briscoe managed to win his way into the playoffs with his trip to victory lane at the Southern 500, denying several other challengers such as Chris Buescher and Bubba Wallace who have admittedly shown better speed on average.
It remains to be seen how far can the #14 driver and team take their postseason bids this year. If performances like the one at Darlington are anything to go by, the SHR crew and driver are not to be taken lightly as they could show up at any point of time and mount a surprise attack on their competition.
