Chase Briscoe’s 2025 season with the No. 19 Toyota has marked a significant turning point in his NASCAR Cup Series career, positioning him as a serious contender for the Chase Briscoe Cup Title. After moving from Stewart-Haas Racing, where he struggled to find consistent success, Briscoe joined Joe Gibbs Racing to fill the shoes of Martin Truex Jr., and his progress has been closely watched throughout this season.
Now thirty races into the campaign, Briscoe has demonstrated a level of consistency and performance that solidifies his place among NASCAR’s top championship hopefuls. The season began with challenges as Briscoe and his crew chief James Small adapted to new setups, managing only a single top-10 finish in the first five events. In an interview with RACER’s Kelly Crandall, Briscoe reflected on this growth:
“Stuff is easier now. Where (as) at the beginning of the year, you’re the new guy that’s not normally racing up front. So, now everything is way easier than it was at the beginning of the year. Some of that, too, is that I was drinking through a fire hose then. I’d say that was the one thing that was surprising. But at the same time, it’s been surprising these last couple of months how easy it’s all happened.”
— Chase Briscoe, NASCAR Driver
This improvement translated directly into results that exceed anything Briscoe had achieved during his four years with Stewart-Haas. He now boasts two wins, twelve top-five finishes, and has led more laps this season than in all his previous campaigns combined. The 30-year-old from Indiana has seized the opportunity to prove that his self-belief in reaching this breakthrough was well-grounded.
This season, Briscoe ranks among the top three drivers in key metrics such as average starting position, average finishing position, and laps led, marking a stark divergence from his prior inconsistencies. He emphasized this shift in mindset and performance, stating:
“Now you go to this year where I feel like I’m one of the guys who’re always in the mix. That’s fun because when you’re competing against those guys, it’s very frustrating because you feel like you’ve never been given the same opportunity you could do what they’re doing. But you don’t know until you get that opportunity, and I’m grateful that I got it, and now I feel I’ve proven to myself even that I’m capable of doing it at this level.”
— Chase Briscoe, NASCAR Driver
Taking over from Martin Truex Jr., who retired after a string of successful seasons with Joe Gibbs Racing including three wins in his final years, has not come without pressure. Nevertheless, Briscoe’s performance has put him in solid contention for the title, especially as all four Gibbs drivers advanced past the Round of 16 in the playoffs.
Briscoe’s Title Chances Tested After Struggles at New Hampshire
Despite expectations that Joe Gibbs Racing would extend their playoff dominance at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the race shifted in favor of rival teams, notably Team Penske. Ford drivers Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, and Josh Berry dominated a combined 273 laps during the Mobil 1 301, leaving JGR’s cars inside the top 12 but without the pace required to lead in the long runs.
Chase Briscoe started the race in 18th position and led briefly during the second stage. However, pit stop cycles during the final segment saw him drop back in the field, finishing ninth before a late-race surge moved him up to tenth. Though a respectable finish, it fell short of the strong performances he displayed in the Round of 16, where he was the only playoff participant to earn three consecutive top-10 results.
Prior to New Hampshire, Briscoe sat comfortably in sixth place entering the playoffs but now finds himself eighth in the standings, narrowly 12 points above the cutoff line. This swift shift underscores the competitive nature of NASCAR’s Cup Series playoff battles. Nonetheless, Briscoe remains optimistic, sharing his mindset in a recent conversation with RACER:
“It is wild how much my mentality has shifted from year to year. I’ve gone from being out there to now feeling like I have a legitimate shot at being a Cup Series champion. That’s a wild feeling.”
— Chase Briscoe, NASCAR Driver
Upcoming Challenges at Kansas and Charlotte Could Define Briscoe’s Season
With only two races remaining before the Round of 8 elimination, every point is crucial for Briscoe’s championship aspirations. Both Kansas Speedway and the Charlotte Roval pose significant hurdles. Historically, Kansas has been a tough venue for him, highlighted by just one top-10 finish in nine starts. Moreover, his average result at the Charlotte Roval stands at 23.8, with three outings outside the top 20.
The major difference this season is the strong foundation Briscoe has at Joe Gibbs Racing, which brings both enhanced car performance and heightened expectations. This support system, coupled with his developing experience and momentum, fuels his hope of turning those negative trends around and continuing his charge toward the Cup title.
For a driver who once questioned whether he could consistently compete at this level, the opportunity is now unmistakable, as is the pressure that comes with it. Briscoe’s ability to navigate these final playoff rounds will be a defining chapter in his NASCAR journey and may very well decide if his breakout year culminates in a genuine Cup Championship run.
