Chase Briscoe went all in to defend his Southern 500 title on Sunday with out making any errors. Final yr, he sealed his playoff spot with a victory at Darlington. This time, he flat-out dominated, punching his ticket to the Spherical of 12 with authority.
Briscoe managed the tempo, main 309 of 367 laps and sweeping the primary two phases. But the ultimate stretch was no cakewalk. After a restart on Lap 320, Tyler Reddick mounted a late cost, closing in over the last 10 laps.
The 23XI driver dove beneath Briscoe in Flip 3 with the checkered flag in sight, however lacked the firepower to seal the deal. The 30-year-old Toyota pilot edged throughout the road 0.408 seconds away from Reddick and 0.537 seconds forward of Erik Jones, who got here residence third because the top-finishing non-playoff driver.
The win marked Briscoe’s second of the season with Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 19 group, his second at “Woman in Black,” and the fourth of his Cup profession. He additionally grew to become the primary driver to win back-to-back within the Southern 500 since Greg Biffle in 2005 and 2006.
What makes the feat much more placing is Briscoe’s transition. With Stewart-Haas Racing shuttered, he moved into the JGR secure this season, pairing with new crew chief James Small. Joe Gibbs himself praised how rapidly the duo clicked.
“This racetrack is one that everyone in our sport thinks might be one of many hardest to race,” Gibbs stated after the win. “And whenever you go 500 miles, that factor is a very long time, man.
“It’s a take a look at of machine and driver, and pit crew… So, it takes every part. And should you go 500 miles right here, odds are, should you acquired a weak point, it’s going to seek out you.”
Gibbs credited the entire group, including, “Thank goodness tonight, James and the group there, simply everyone. Admire them, and I’m joyful for James as a result of it’s an enormous deal for him to have the ability to get along with Chase.
“And it takes an uncommon chemistry for the crew chief and driver… They’ve carried out it in a really fast period of time. And I’ve acquired to inform you, it’s actually spectacular and I’m within the background. All I do is pray. I feel I prefer it.”
