After 4 seasons with , was chosen to switch former Cup champion . at (JGR) because the NASCAR veteran determined to step away from full-time competitors.
Partnering with crew chief James Small, he got here out of the gate swinging with a pole place within the Daytona 500 — Toyota’s first pole within the iconic occasion. Nevertheless, it has been a mean season since then. Briscoe is not operating sluggish as he presently sits contained in the playoffs with 4 prime fives, however he is not successful a number of races like teammates and , both.
A special environment with greater expectationsChase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing ToyotaJamie Squire / Getty Pictures
Jamie Squire / Getty Pictures
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“It’s undoubtedly completely different,” mentioned Bricoe concerning the transition in becoming a member of JGR. “The expectation is a lot greater at a spot like JGR. I used to be telling my dad — after the Bristol race, all 4 JGR automobiles had been within the top-eight, and if we might have had the entire automobiles at SHR within the top-10, we might have been going nuts. It could have been the very best day ever, a minimum of in the direction of the tip of SHR, the place at JGR, on the comp (competitors) assembly, you’ll have thought all of us 4 ran thirtieth or worse. It’s so completely different. You might be anticipated to go win and be the very best automotive and the corporate is predicted to be the very best firm every week, from that standpoint, the psychological facet of issues has been means completely different.
“That expectation change has been an adjustment for me. It’s good that it’s again to that, however it’s completely different than what I’ve been used to the final couple of years. For me, I really feel like we aren’t even near our full skill, and a variety of it simply comes all the way down to Saturdays. The automobiles have a lot extra potential than something I’m used to driving within the Cup Sequence that a variety of time in qualifying, I’m slightly below driving. The automotive can take a lot extra. Mentally, I’m so used to having to carry means again right here, and this automotive will simply take it.”
Matching the potential of the carChase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing ToyotaDavid Jensen / Getty Pictures
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In the identical press convention on Friday, Briscoe talked about how he needed to qualify higher, and fewer than in the future later, he earned pole place for the Coca-Cola 600. “We’ve been getting the end, however we haven’t been operating up entrance all day lengthy,” he mentioned then. “All of it begins in qualifying.”
Properly, now he has the observe place to begin NASCAR’s longest race, and the popular pit stall. Within the post-qualifying media availability, he talked extra concerning the troublesome adjustment it has been.
“The staff has performed the identical factor all yr, it’s simply me not driving arduous sufficient, honestly,” admitted Briscoe. I talked about it yesterday. This automotive simply has a lot potential that I’m simply not used to having the ability to do the issues that this automotive will do as a result of previously my automotive would – take a look at final yr right here, I plugged the fence down coming off of flip 4 attempting to do what I simply did there. Simply the potential of this automotive is a lot greater than I‘ve ran my total profession, and it has simply taken just a few months to get to used to that, so hopefully it will type of be the beginning of regular, qualifying and competing for poles. It’s undoubtedly a pleasant turnaround from what we’ve had.”
Discovering Victory LaneChase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota
Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing ToyotaJared C. Tilton/Getty Pictures
Jared C. Tilton/Getty Pictures
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Whereas poles and factors are good, Briscoe’s focus stays on getting the No. 19 again to Victory Lane. Truex went winless in his remaining season, however he received three races and the common season title in 2023. Briscoe has two profession wins, each with SHR (Richmond 2022 and the Southern 500 in 2024).
“I needed simply to win, honestly,” mentioned Briscoe. “The highest-fives are nice, proper? I believe I’m just one behind my profession excessive, ever, and we’re 12, 13 weeks in, so from that standpoint, it’s encouraging, however I need to win races — that’s the principal purpose for me. It’s bizarre. We’ve had the outcomes, however I really feel like now we have been so dangerous. I don’t even really feel like we’re near our potential. James (Small, crew chief) and I’ve talked the final three or 4 weeks that we don’t even really feel like we’ve scratched the floor of what we’re able to.
“We’re nonetheless studying one another a lot, and I’m nonetheless studying the automotive nonetheless. So to be nonetheless as aggressive as we’ve been for a way dangerous we really feel like we’re is thrilling for each of us. It’s only a matter of placing all of these items collectively, and even earlier within the yr, I’ve been telling everyone by Charlotte is the place I would like to begin feeling snug and type of understanding what I’ve, and I really feel like I’m attending to that time. So, hopefully, I can flip it round. If I needed to grade myself proper now, it could be a B-, C+. Hopefully, right here in a month, I can say we’re an A.”
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