“I have never contributed a single cent to any racing team, so really, the only thing I can contribute is myself. If you’re not performing, and the only thing you can contribute is your helmet, it’s very easy for them to go in another direction. That’s why you have to perform and prove your worth.”
Chase BriscoeThese statements, far from being surprising, reflect Briscoe’s competitive mentality. The two victories obtained so far have consolidated him as the driver of the No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota, demonstrating the solid alliance he is building with his crew chief, James Small, in their first season together. Briscoe led all playoff drivers in the Cup Series with the most points scored in the first round of the postseason (133), surpassing the entire series in points earned in those three races. In addition, he obtained the second-highest number of stage points (30), only behind Bubba Wallace (35), and led 451 of the 1,107 laps in those races. This feeling of being replaceable is a hallmark of Briscoe as a driver. Perhaps influenced by his beginnings, where he depended on the hospitality of friends, or by the belief that he needed the teams more than they needed him. However, after his victory in the first race of the postseason, Briscoe recognizes his value as a valuable asset.“I always feel like I’m auditioning, still, every week to a certain extent,” Briscoe commented. “I certainly feel much more comfortable now with multiple wins, but this is still a cutthroat world and you have to perform. I could be running poorly right now and be on the tightrope. You have to perform at this level.” Briscoe was hired to take the place of Martin Truex Jr., a former series champion and likely NASCAR Hall of Famer. Before joining Gibbs, Briscoe had won two races in his Cup Series career. Although the industry never doubted his talent, the 2025 season is the first in which he has had all the resources needed to succeed on the track. The good news is that Briscoe has always performed better in high-pressure situations, both on the track and in life. This is the perspective he has on his involvement with Joe Gibbs, where he feels he still has something to prove in the Cup Series. The same could be said of Small, who seeks to prove that he can lead the No. 19 team to success without Truex, who was credited with much of the credit. Whether considered the driving force of the team or as an added motivation, it has worked to everyone’s benefit.
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“I think James has certainly shown this year that he’s an elite-level team leader and that’s fun for me to watch his progress. We’re living this together, and at Pocono, you saw how the weight of the world lifted off our shoulders for both of us. Then, when we did what we did at Darlington (sweeping the stages and winning the race after leading 309 of 367 laps), it’s like a whole new level of confidence that we’ve both reached at the same time, which is fun. The race team has done it too.” Despite the success, Briscoe does not consider himself an established driver in the Cup Series.“I feel like we both had a lot of people doubting us. “Why are they in that role?” James received a lot of criticism for the way he and [Truex] communicated over the radio, and now, knowing James, I’ve never met anyone more competitive and more determined to win and willing to do what it takes to win. It’s been good because we both have that chip on our shoulder; we want to prove that we belong.”
Chase Briscoe“I’m torn, but I think you have to have a sense of that. I don’t think you can say, ‘Oh yeah, man, I’ve made it.’ But, in the same vein, I certainly have made it. Never in a million years did I think I’d run a single Cup Series race. Never thought I’d run a Truck Series race. Now, to have four Cup Series wins, yeah, I’ve certainly made it from that standpoint.
Chase Briscoe“But with the way my career has progressed, you’re honestly still moving the goalposts. It went from, ‘I want to get to the Cup.’ Then you get to the Cup and then it’s, ‘I want to win at the Cup.’ Well, you win at the Cup and now you move the posts [again]. So, I don’t know. I’ve achieved it in many ways, but I feel like I still have a lot more that I want to do.” One of those goals is to be back in the top 8, or even higher. Briscoe believes it’s an expectation for a Joe Gibbs Racing driver to reach at least that stage of the postseason. From there, if Briscoe were to advance to the Championship 4, it would be the first time he achieves such a feat. It’s been a season of firsts. In his first year with Gibbs, Briscoe has won multiple races for the first time in a season, surpassed the most laps led, top-five and top-ten finishes he’s earned in a single season, and led the standings for the first time. The next goal would be to reach the Championship 4. And, of course, the icing on the cake would be for Briscoe to crown this season of firsts with his first NASCAR Cup Series championship.
