One of many 4 title contenders for the 2025 NASCAR Cup Sequence championship attributable to go stay this Sunday, Chase Briscoe is one driver who has come of age in inventory automobile racing’s high tier this season. In his fifth yr of competing with a few of the nation’s greatest drivers, the Mitchell, Indiana native is vying for the championship for the primary time in his profession.
After his profession excessive of creating it into the Spherical of 8 within the playoffs with Stewart-Haas Racing, the crew he used to drive for till 2024, Briscoe has made waves within the sport with how he has stepped up at Joe Gibbs Racing, arguably probably the greatest groups within the enterprise. In his first yr at JGR, Briscoe has logged three wins and a Last 4 berth alongside seasoned opponents akin to Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson.
Nonetheless, as was evident together with his time at SHR and the crew’s remaining years in NASCAR earlier than shutting store in 2024, Briscoe was not essentially prepped for battling on the sharpest finish of the sphere. Positive, he did win a race in 2022 and 2024 with the crew, however he by no means appeared like a critical championship contender because the season drew in the direction of the ultimate few races.
Regardless of SHR not offering him with the mandatory publicity and expertise to adapt to an atmosphere like JGR or Hendrick, the 30-year-old has seemingly come of age at Coach Gibbs’ crew. His first yr driving Toyotas as a substitute of Ford Mustangs has seen him adapt like a fish to water. He explains how he managed to do the identical forward of the title finale this weekend.
“I really feel like the primary 4 years of my profession to now, honestly, I’m glad that I had the 4 years of expertise at SHR, simply because I’ve Cup expertise, I form of know the ins-and-outs of Cup racing. I nonetheless had races the place I competed for wins or gained at SHR’s stage. I really feel like it could have been exhausting to step into this automobile yr one in all your Cup profession and go carry out,” mentioned Briscoe.
“Simply form of the proper storm. I had a few years of expertise in Cup. Considerably aggressive gear. Now gave me the chance to clearly come over in elite gear and present me what I’m able to,” he added as he eyes the most important prize in NASCAR.
With some doubts over him rising to the event at JGR now firmly silenced, it stays to be seen if Briscoe can shut the deal at Phoenix Raceway this Sunday, in opposition to some very hefty competitors from his personal teammate, Hamlin, and the Hendrick Motorsports duo of William Byron and Kyle Larson.
