Chase Briscoe is a man on a mission. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has been making lifestyle changes off the track in anticipation of the upcoming Cup Series season. It’s a drastic change in approach from his time at Stewart-Haas Racing, where the Indiana native was free to do as he pleased. With the stakes high and expectations higher, the 30-year-old is being made to undergo thorough preparations both on and off the track to get the maximum performance out of the No. 19 Toyota.

Briscoe won the Southern 500 in 2024 and ended SHR’s Cup Series tenure on a high, making his idol proud. Now, with the switch to Joe Gibbs Racing, and linking up with his childhood buddy Christopher Bell, he is under immense pressure to perform. And the hard work starts behind the scenes.

Chase Briscoe is prioritizing his health

Fitness and diet are not often spoken about in the world of stock car racing. However, few realize that NASCAR is a physically demanding sport, requiring drivers to be in optimal condition to drive 200 mph for hours on end on a racetrack. Over the course of the race, the inside of the car can be 30–40°F hotter than the outside, forcing racers to remain focused in difficult conditions. It’s not surprising that Toyota has an entire program dedicated to drivers’ fitness, as it’s an important aspect in every motorsports discipline.

Sharing the lifestyle changes he has had to undertake, Chase Briscoe candidly told Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass, “I wouldn’t say Toyota as much as JGR. I think it’s like there for like Toyota too. Like I know they have nutritionists and all that. It’s honestly been James [Small, crew chief] trying to get me to weigh down. They wanted me down 15 pounds before the season started, I’m down to almost 10. I was doing really really good truthfully until a week and a half ago. I’ve been doing way better.”

However, Chase Briscoe also revealed that he had no such restrictions on his former team, saying, “SHR I could do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted.” Having spent four full seasons at his idol Tony Stewart’s side, it’s unsurprising that the racer didn’t have to prioritize his fitness. The way Stewart-Haas Racing was run in its last three to four years is a stark contrast to the likes of Joe Gibbs Racing or Hendrick Motorsports, and Ford might not have provided as much support in comparison to Chevy or Toyota as well.

NASCAR is defined by fine margins, the little things that make all the difference in the long run. In sports such as Formula 1 and IndyCar, the weight of the driver can drastically affect the lap time. However, a Next-Gen car typically weighs over 1.5 tons, and with NASCAR limiting the weight of different parts of the car, driver weight remains important, but the difference is negligible.

However, Joe Gibbs Racing is leaving no stone unturned ahead of the 2025 Cup Series season and is hoping to finally break Team Penske’s dominance at the highest level this time around. Briscoe believes they have the car to do it, and can feel the difference from his SHR days.

Briscoe praises Joe Gibbs Racing’s car performance

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Chase Briscoe has plenty of reasons to be optimistic. The No. 19 Toyota driver will be competing for one of NASCAR’s top teams in 2025, potentially challenging for wins every week and the title by the end of the year. The 30-year-old couldn’t help but sing praises for his car’s performance ahead of his debut at the Cook Out Clash at Bowman Gray and expressed his excitement at competing in the upcoming Cup Series campaign.

Speaking to Bob Pockrass, Briscoe said, “Overall it’s been a really good start, the cars are really, really, really good. I know it’s really hard to tell what you’re going to have for the whole season, but it’s like this – it’s just crazy, truthfully, how much different it is. Yeah, really excited. Hopefully, we’re going to have a good run tomorrow night. Looking forward to the season for sure.”

However, the result at ‘The Madhouse’ wasn’t ideal, as the Indiana native finished last, only completing 120 out of 200 laps. The #19 will be hoping to turn his fortunes around at the upcoming Daytona 500 to make a strong start to his Joe Gibbs Racing career. The racer certainly has the talent to go wheel-to-wheel against NASCAR’s elite, and he proved it with a statement win at Darlington for Stewart-Haas Racing’s last win as a Cup team. All he needs to do is acclimatize to his change in surroundings and get the best performance out of his No. 19 Toyota in the season ahead. What are your expectations from Chase Briscoe in 2025?