The Cook Out Southern 500 was full of surprises. The Chase Briscoe advance during the race at Darlington Raceway was unexpected for many. But there were other incidents as well, which ultimately contributed to the fate of the race. Martin Truex Jr.‘s unfortunate crash during the initial parts of the race, Kyle Larson‘s slip-up after dominating large parts of the race, and Kyle Busch’s desperate but impressive charge to secure a play spot were some notable features of the race.

However, the turnaround wasn’t easy for Chase Briscoe. Especially when several distractions lurked around not only for the racers at Stewart-Hass Racing but also for the crew members. The team is set to close operations after the end of the season. The effects of SHR retiring are evident in their performances in the Cup Series this season. Apart from Chase Briscoe, the other drives had a below-average season this year. Noah Gragson, Ryan Preece, and Josh Berry are ranked 23rd, 28th, and 31st, respectively, in the Cup Series season this year. With Briscoe struggling before his win at Darlington, he made an interesting resolve to his team, and his words turned out to be true!

Chase Briscoe reveals his resolve after the Daytona disaster

Chase Briscoe had a disappointing Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway. He started the race from a promising 6th position. After a solid start to the race, he dropped his position within the first stage and only managed to lead a total of 12 laps throughout the race. Briscoe earned a total of 23 points and his playoff chances looked gloomy. The No. 14 was 144 points behind the playoff line before the Darlington race and only a win would’ve ensured him a spot in the last 16.

Chase Briscoe was aware of the fact that he was below average at the Daytona International Speedway last weekend. Talking about it on Kevin Harvick’s ‘Happy Hour‘, the 29-year-old had this to say: “I know last week at Daytona was probably the most embarrassing race I’ve ever ran in my career. I was just like embarrassed to be around the guys because of how bad I did and I texted Boswell literally before we got on the airplane Saturday night. I said I don’t ever wanna talk about this race again. We’re not going to talk about it this week, but I promise you I will make it up to you next week.”

Which is exactly what happened at the Darlington Raceway. Richard Boswell, the crew chief of the No. 14 car, must be delighted to see that Briscoe kept his word. At the Cook Out Southern 500, it seems that everything went right for Briscoe’s team. Puzzled about what made the difference for them to win at the Darlington Raceway, Briscoe further added, “I mean obviously what we did last night the mentality was no different than what we’ve been doing all year long you know. But last night just everything you know came together. I felt like our car was really really good. Our pick crew is really really good I ran a really good race and this took everything and yeah I don’t know what changed.”

The win not only secured a playoff spot for him. But also, it provided him with the much-needed confidence before he headed to the Atlanta Motor Speedway for his first race of the playoffs. This was only the second win for Chase Briscoe in his Cup Series career. His first win came way back in 2022 in the Ruoff Mortgage 500 at the Phoenix Raceway. The 29-year-old defeated Trackhouse Racing’s Ross Chastain in that race to secure the top spot. Chase Briscoe will represent Stewart Hass Racing in the playoffs. Next season, all four drivers of the legendary SHR will go their separate ways, marking the sad end of an era.

The Balkanization of SHR racers

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With Stewart-Hass Racing wrapping up its Cup Series teams, the four drivers have the mammoth task of choosing a team for the future. Josh Berry is the first to decide on his future. The No. 4 at SHR will be joining the Wood Brothers Racing, driving the iconic No. 21 for them. The move from Berry comes in as Harrison Burton is set to leave WBR and join another team next season. The hero of Darlington Chase Briscoe has also decided on his future. The No. 14 will be joining Joe Gibbs Racing as Martin Truex Jr. has decided to retire from full-time racing from next season onwards.

The future of the other two racers at Stewart Hass Racing, however, hangs in the balance. Noah Gragson is one of the front-runners to occupy the vacant spot at Front Row Motorsports. However, Ryan Preece’s future is currently uncertain. The No. 41 is in advance talks with a number of teams, including Kaulig Racing and Rick Ware Racing. Although Stewart Haas Racing will be closing its operations in the Cup Series, it will continue to compete in the Xfinity Series with two charters.

What are your thoughts on Chase Briscoe’s words? Do you think he will be able to repeat his success at Joe Gibbs Racing next year? Tell us your thoughts in the comments down below.