At Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pennsylvania, Chase Briscoe clinched a dramatic win over Denny Hamlin on Sunday to claim an automatic spot in NASCAR’s playoffs. This intense finish, highlighted by Briscoe’s strategic fuel management, gave the No. 19 Toyota its first victory since Martin Truex Jr. last won with the team in 2023. The stakes were high as Briscoe races to maintain his new position with powerhouse Joe Gibbs Racing, where a playoff berth is essential to keeping the ride.
Transition to Joe Gibbs Racing Brings New Pressure
Briscoe’s career took a major turn when he left Stewart-Haas Racing after the 2023 season to join Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR), a team known for its championship pedigree, including five Cup driver titles. With JGR’s standards set exceptionally high, Briscoe faced immediate pressure to perform.
“You don’t make the playoffs, you don’t race in this car anymore,”
he recalled the message from the team. This accountability marked a substantial shift from Briscoe’s prior environment, as reflected by his crew chief James Small, who noted,
“From where he came from, there wasn’t much accountability. Nobody was holding his feet to the fire. That’s probably been a big wake-up call for him.”
Final Laps Showcase a Nail-Biting Duel Between Teammates
During the 160-lap race, Briscoe carefully stretched his fuel mileage to maintain his lead against Hamlin, who is the track’s all-time win leader with seven victories. Hamlin, returning after missing a race due to the birth of his son, pitted just one lap after Briscoe and was warned his competitor might not have enough fuel to finish. Despite closing the gap in the late stages, Hamlin fell short by just 0.682 seconds. Briscoe described the challenge, saying,
“It was just so hard to have a guy chasing you, especially the guy that’s the greatest of all time here.”
Team Dynamics Reflect High Stakes at Joe Gibbs Racing
JGR currently fields multiple playoff drivers, including Hamlin, Christopher Bell, and Briscoe himself. Joe Gibbs expressed mixed nerves over having his own drivers battling for the lead, stating,
“The most nervous I get is when two of our cars are up front.”
Briscoe admitted the high level of competition within the team has been a major adjustment:
“It’s definitely more work but it’s because they’re at such a high level. Even racing with teammates that are winning has been a big adjustment for me.”
Briscoe’s Career Milestone and Winning Momentum
Briscoe’s victory marked his third overall in the NASCAR Cup Series and his first since winning at Darlington in 2024. Raised racing sprint cars in Indiana, he also won a NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Pocono in 2020. This recent form includes four top-10 finishes across six races, highlighting his emergence as a playoff contender. Small, Briscoe’s longtime crew chief, finally celebrated a win after persevering through tough seasons with both Martin Truex Jr. and Briscoe, stating,
“It’s been a tough couple of years… We’ve never lost belief, any of us.”
Race Details: Delay, Conditions, and Pit Stop Strategy
The event was delayed for over two hours by rain, resulting in humid conditions once the race started. Briscoe led for 72 laps and captured the second stage, demonstrating consistent control throughout the event. On pit road, Briscoe made his final stop on lap 119, while Hamlin followed on lap 120. The fuel conservation tactics by Briscoe proved decisive, allowing him to maintain his lead and hold off Hamlin’s late surge.
Clean Competition Amid On-Track Rivalries
Several tensions simmered during the race, with recent incidents between drivers Carson Hocevar and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. threatening on-track conflict. However, both drivers raced without incident this time, with Hocevar finishing 18th and Stenhouse 30th. The cooler heads prevailing contributed to a cleaner race overall, despite a pit road scare involving AJ Allmendinger, who inadvertently caused a tire to hit a crew member from another team, Jonpatrik Kealey, though no serious injuries were reported.
Mechanical Challenges Affect Key Drivers
Brake issues disrupted the races of multiple drivers, including Bubba Wallace, Michael McDowell, and Riley Herbst. Herbst described a frightening moment when his brakes failed entering turn one,
“It was a scary feeling for sure… A brake rotor exploded and I was along for the ride.”
These mechanical failures influenced several race outcomes and underscored the demanding nature of Pocono’s track conditions.
Looking Ahead to NASCAR’s Next Venue in Atlanta
Following the high-pressure finish at Pocono, NASCAR teams will head to Atlanta Motor Speedway. Christopher Bell, another JGR driver and playoff contender, captured victory at Atlanta earlier this season in March, setting the tone for another competitive showdown. With nine races remaining before the playoff field is finalized, drivers like Briscoe and Hamlin will continue battling to secure their positions amid mounting pressure.
Quotes Reflect Driver Determination and Team Spirit
Chase Briscoe expressed both the burden and reward of driving for a top-tier team:
“I’ve only won three races in the Cup Series, right? But this is by far the least enjoyable just because it’s expected now. You have to go win. Where at SHR, you really felt like you surprised the world if you won.”
He also shared a personal reflection on his journey, saying,
“I literally grew up racing my sprint car video game in a Joe Gibbs Racing Home Depot uniform. To get Coach in victory lane after them taking a chance on me, it’s so rewarding truthfully. Just a big weight off my shoulders. I’ve been telling my wife the last two weeks, I have to win. To finally come here and do it, it has been a great day.”
James Small highlighted the transformation Briscoe has undergone:
“It’s been a lot of work… From where he came from, there wasn’t much accountability. Nobody was holding his feet to the fire. That’s probably been a big wake-up call for him.”
Joe Gibbs noted the challenges of team competition, emphasizing,
“The most nervous I get is when two of our cars are up front.”
Riley Herbst added insight into his brake failure experience, stating,
“It was a scary feeling for sure. I was just starting to get tight, just a bad adjustment on my part. Getting into (turn) one, the brakes just went to the floor. A brake rotor exploded and I was along for the ride.”
James Small reflected on persistence,
“It’s been a tough couple of years. We’ve never lost belief, any of us.”
