Briscoe conquers the Southern 500: Double and looks at the NASCAR title

Chase Briscoe made history by securing his second consecutive victory in the Southern 500, held at Darlington Raceway. This triumph solidifies him as the eighth driver in the history of stock car racing to achieve this feat on the circuit known as “Too Tough to Tame”.

Briscoe at the Top

Briscoe, who is seeking his first title in the NASCAR Cup Series, demonstrated his skill by overtaking Tyler Reddick on the final lap. His victory places him in a select group of motorsports legends, including names like Dale Earnhardt, Cale Yarborough, Jeff Gordon, and Bobby Allison.

The expectation was to compete for victories. It definitely took longer than I expected, but tonight I feel like we showed what we are capable of.

Chase Briscoe

Briscoe dominated the race, leading from early on, winning both stages and leading 309 of the 367 laps. In addition to advancing to the next round, he became the first driver with consecutive wins in this prestigious race since Greg Biffle in 2005 and 2006.

The 30-year-old Indiana driver expressed his satisfaction with this victory, considering it his favorite race of the year. In the previous edition, Briscoe secured his place in the playoffs with a bold overtake in the final laps. This time, he demonstrated his superiority throughout the competition. Reddick attempted an attack on the last lap, but Briscoe held the position, securing his second win of the season and the fourth of his career. Briscoe team owner Joe Gibbs recalled the welcome he gave the driver last year, when he was still competing for Stewart-Haas Racing. Gibbs was impressed by how quickly Briscoe’s crew chief, James Smalls, got the car competing for wins. Erik Jones, two-time Southern 500 winner, finished third, followed by John Hunter Nemechek and AJ Allmendinger. Bubba Wallace and Denny Hamlin, Briscoe’s teammate, also stood out.

Playoff Problems

The race was not favorable for several playoff competitors, with only four drivers in the top 10. Josh Berry, who was already below the cut line, had an incident at the start of the race. Alex Bowman, in need of a good result, faced problems that prevented him from advancing. Ryan Blaney, one of the most outstanding drivers, also suffered a setback, complicating his situation in the playoffs. The four drivers below the cut line are defending champion Joey Logano, followed by Austin Dillon, Bowman, and Berry.

It wasn’t what we expected.

Joey Logano

Toyota Prevails

The top four positions were occupied by Toyota drivers, an uncommon occurrence since the manufacturer joined the Cup Series in 2007. Hamlin, co-owner of 23XI Racing, highlighted the performance of his drivers Reddick and Wallace.

It was a good day for them and a great day for Toyota in general.

Denny Hamlin

Upcoming Events

The playoffs continue on September 7 at World Wide Technology Raceway, followed by the last race of the first round in Bristol on September 13, where the group will be reduced from 16 to 12 competitors.