Chase Briscoe is entering the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs with significant momentum, strong results, and a competitive car, yet he remains an under-the-radar driver. At 30 years old, Briscoe is experiencing one of his most productive seasons driving the No. 19 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, having transitioned from Stewart-Haas Racing after four years. Replacing Martin Truex Jr. brought high expectations, and Briscoe has begun to meet them quietly but steadily.
Despite that progress, his teammates Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell have dominated media attention—Hamlin leading with four wins and Bell achieving three consecutive early-season victories. Briscoe’s defining moment arrived in late July at Pocono Raceway, when he secured a crucial victory that solidified his playoff position.
The Defining Victory That Shifted Briscoe’s Season at Pocono
Briscoe’s key breakthrough happened during the Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono Raceway, where he started from the pole position, his fourth such start that season. Leading the most laps in the race—72 out of 160—he engaged in a tense final battle, conserving fuel while fending off Hamlin, the all-time Pocono wins leader, and Ryan Blaney, a two-time winner at the track. Maintaining his lead lap by lap, Briscoe clinched the win by a razor-thin margin of 0.682 seconds ahead of Hamlin.
This victory marked his first with Joe Gibbs Racing, his third career Cup Series win, and it guaranteed him a spot in the 2025 playoffs. Earlier in the season, Briscoe expressed confidence about his potential in the No. 19 car, remarking on his often overlooked status and the chance this ride offers to showcase his capabilities.
“I feel like I get overlooked a lot of the time, but I hopefully will be able to kind of earn the respect of a lot of guys… This No. 19 car finally lets me show what I feel like I’m capable of. I honestly think there’s only been two tracks all year long where we couldn’t have won from a speed standpoint.”
Briscoe also highlighted the role of leadership at Joe Gibbs Racing in his performance improvements, crediting team owner Joe Gibbs with being an active part of race weekends and meetings, ensuring accountability and a focused atmosphere.
“Just having the boss around. Like Coach (Joe Gibbs) is in every meeting. He’s at the race track every single weekend… Where(as) with Coach, that is his full-time job. He’s just trying to make Joe Gibbs Racing as successful as it can be. So even just having the boss there and having somebody that’s going to hold you accountable on Monday if you run bad.”
Since that win, Briscoe’s confidence and results have only strengthened.
Strong Performances Highlight Briscoe’s Second Half of the Season
Following two lackluster finishes at Chicago Street Course and Atlanta Speedway, Briscoe rebounded with a runner-up spot at Sonoma, his best career road course finish, nearly catching Shane van Gisbergen at the end. At Dover, a track where he previously struggled, he delivered a strong performance by qualifying second and finishing in the same position.
The Brickyard 400, his home event, saw Briscoe capture the pole position, win Stage 1, and finish 18th, despite not securing a victory. He then earned another pole at Iowa, the sixth of his season and his second in succession, before finishing second once more. This consistent run has elevated Briscoe to eighth in the standings with 640 points as the playoffs approach.
Looking ahead, Briscoe faces the Go Bowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International in New York, a 90-lap, 220.5-mile race where his previous road course record is modest but shows signs of improvement. Watkins Glen has historically been a stronghold for his predecessor Martin Truex Jr., who also excelled at Richmond and Daytona, upcoming tracks following the Glen.
With the momentum Briscoe has developed, further victories during the remaining regular-season races are within reach. Continued success could see him shed the “dark horse” label, establishing himself as a serious contender in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs.
