“For all 320 employees, everybody, to be able to race for a championship in their final year, man, unbelievable…We’re in this till the end. We’re not going to give this up,” this is what Chase Briscoe said after he took the final playoff berth in the 2024 Cup Series after winning at Darlington. Briscoe’s win was particularly meaningful as his team, Stewart-Haas Racing, had previously announced its closure after the 2024 season. In 2025, a new outfit, called Haas Factory team will run a one driver team, with Cole Custer.

All the employees of the team are facing an uncertain future, but Briscoe’s victory has breathed new life into the organization, giving them a fighting chance to compete for championships in their final season of the Cup series. Briscoe recently revealed that all the company’s resources are being used for the #14. With only one SHR car in the playoffs, everything is riding on Briscoe’s back.

Chase Briscoe on the entire SHR aiding his championship hopes

While many would succumb under such massive pressure, Briscoe has dealt with it perfectly through a consistent performance in the first round of playoffs. The #14 after his recent Darlington win was bound to be good on a Superspeedway. However, Kyle Larson’s early crash was unavoidable for the SHR driver, thus ending his race in a DNF. After putting the disappointment behind him, Briscoe made a comeback at Watkins Glen, bagging a P6 finish. In a back-to-back top-10 finish, Briscoe finished 8th in Bristol.

Briscoe, who is only in his 4th NASCAR Cup Season, progressed to the round of 12. While former Cup Series champions, Martin Truex Jr and Brad Keselowski were eliminated. Briscoe, in a recent press conference, revealed the secret behind the success. “It’s been humbling, just from the whole company all embracing the 14 car and doing everything they can to make the 14 car have the best potential to win the championship. So that’s been cool. Just to have 300 and something employees literally feel like they’re on your back and riding with you every single weekend. And then just as a company, like SHR from the day I’ve been there has never worked as well as they have right now.”

Perhaps this is the reason why Chase Briscoe has scored 79 points in the first round of playoffs. In comparison, championship favorite Denny Hamlin has bagged 74. Briscoe’s average finish in the round was 16.7. According to Briscoe, all four crew chiefs and the three drivers are aiding him on this journey.

“I do think that’s a little unique where since I am the only car in, and even just our situation with the whole team shutting down, like all the resources, all the effort, all the focus, everything they got is on us right now. So that’s different. No other team can say that…, I do think it’ll make a difference, just because I’m going to have three teammates that are super committed to doing everything they can to help me,” he further added. Although Briscoe is -7 points below the cutoff line, he’s confident of his chances in round two. Why wouldn’t he be? After all, he’s being given the best pit crew SHR has.

Chase Briscoe gets a new crew

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This move comes after a couple of botched-up pit stops in Bristol. SHR is not willing to take any chances going forward and hence has assigned Josh Berry’s crew members to the #14. He will be pitted by Daniel Smith (rear changer), Daniel Coffey (front changer), Evan Marchal (fueler), and Mason Flynt (tire carrier). The members originally worked with Kevin Harvick when he piloted the #4 car of Berry.

In 2022, in a similar move, Briscoe’s team was given to Harvick to aid in his playoff campaign and he got his. And now, in a full circle moment, they are back to aid him. On this, he said. “I’m back kind of with my original guys.” However, Briscoe felt for his current crew who helped him reach here. Well, it cannot be denied that the move has come in the best interest of the #14 team.

“The big thing I think for me is I just told those guys, I texted them all, Look, you guys are just as much of the [No.] 14 team as you were last week. I know it probably doesn’t feel that way right now, but obviously, [Greg Zipadelli] and everybody at SHR felt like that’s what gave us the best opportunity to try to move on and try to advance to the next round,” Briscoe added.

The newly assembled team has the round of 12 fast approaching. The next stop for Briscoe is Kansas. However, it’s going to be a challenge for the team as he has never managed a top-10 there. But, maybe, he could this time after starting 9th in the race. He has managed to get his best-ever qualification position on the track. As for Talladega, all of Briscoe’s last four races have been top-13 finishes. As for the ROVAL, he got a P28 last time he was at the track. Overall, the team has their work cut out for them.

What do you think are Briscoe’s chances in the next round of the playoffs? Which four drivers do you think are getting eliminated next? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.