“I’m Always Crying”- Chase Briscoe Lets Slip His Emotional Side as Childhood Dreams Manifest Into Reality

If there’s one thing that money can’t buy, it’s history, and Indianapolis Motor Speedway has that in abundance. Constructed in 1909, the venue is the third-oldest permanent automobile race track in the world. Such is its importance that tradition and prestige seep into the very crushed stone and tar that serves as the foundation of the 2.5-mile oval. So it should come as no surprise that drivers consider it the hallowed ground of motorsports.

For Chase Briscoe, it doesn’t get bigger than Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Having grown up in Mitchell, Indiana, the track means more to the 29-year-old than any other. Driving the No. 14 Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing for the last time at the iconic oval, the experience prompted a very emotional response.

Did emotions get the better of Chase Briscoe at Brickyard 400?

Whether he was overwhelmed by the occasion, or the circumstances just got the better of him, Chase Briscoe would have hoped for a better Brickyard 400. The Stewart-Haas Racing driver got tight while exiting Turn 2 on the Lap 75 restart, which forced his teammate Ryan Preece to get sandwiched between William Byron and Harrison Burton. Moreover, the pair made contact, forcing a chain reaction, forcing Byron’s No. 24 Chevy to spin around the track, collecting A. J. Allmendinger’s No. 16 Chevrolet, both slamming hard into the outside wall. The incident ended their race, while Chase Briscoe was forced to settle for 24th on a track he desperately wanted to excel in.

Before the race, Chase Briscoe had expressed just how emotional he was on returning to Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He said, “I’m always like crying like every single time. I’m not like balling, but I’m like tearing up, like I got to wipe my eyes, and that’s just for the road course. For the Brickyard 400, I’ll probably have an actual tear roll down my face. It’s just crazy, you know, just knowing that I was sitting in those grandstands and you know, I was waving at those drivers as they would come by and now I’m on the other side of the wall.”

Highlighting his hopes for the Brickyard 400, after its three-year hiatus, Briscoe went on to say, “Just because I’m the hometown guy it’s really cool, it’s special for me and then you know, this year, it will honestly be a little more emotional. It’s the first Brickyard 400, but it’s also going to be the only time I get to do it in the 14 car, and getting to do it for Tony. Going to be a cool weekend for myself, regardless of how the finish is, but it’s certainly a bucket list thing for me just to be able to run a Brickyard 400. It’s pretty special I get to do it in the 14.”

It would have been a fairytale ending for Chase Briscoe’s career at Stewart-Haas Racing if he had secured a win at Indianapolis. The opportunity was unique for Briscoe because he had the chance to replicate Tony Stewart’s 2005 and 2007 Brickyard 400 victories. What would have made it even more special was it was the last time he would have been driving the No. 14 car on the iconic 2.5-mile oval, which was what Tony Stewart drove after his Joe Gibbs Racing days. Moreover, winning at the home track is a special feeling in itself, especially when the track is as iconic as Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

While growing up, Briscoe attended his home state’s race every year, cheering on his hero and fellow Indiana native Tony Stewart from the stands. He was fortunate enough to witness both his victories, results that inspired him to become a professional NASCAR driver. Fast forward to 2024 and Chase Briscoe fulfilled his lifelong dream. Not only did he race for his childhood hero, Briscoe did it while driving the car Stewart drove. The result may have left much to be desired, but the occasion was a special one nonetheless.

Briscoe sets his sights on Richmond Raceway

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It’s one of those rare occasions when NASCAR is in the midst of a two-week break, as broadcast partner NBC is covering the Summer Olympics in Paris. Having raced 23 races consecutively, this is an opportunity to recuperate and begin preparations for another 14-race stretch, as NASCAR heads to the playoff after four regular season races. The break will end at Richmond Raceway, where Chase Briscoe has three finishes of 12th place or higher. On his last visit to the track, the 29-year-old finished a disappointing 18th in the Cup Series.

Speaking about the Cook Out 400 at Richmond Raceway, Chase Briscoe said, “Richmond’s a little bit unique just because the tire wear is so significant compared to all those other racetracks that are similar to it in size and banking. It’s hard to say if you can really take a whole lot from any other racetracks just because Richmond is kind of its own unique beast because of its abrasive surfact and the tire wear it has.”

The race at Richmond Raceway will be unique because drivers and crew chiefs will have the opportunity to choose their tire compounds. Goodyear will be bringing multiple tire options on the track, with a “prime” tire featuring a slick surface for racing, and an “option” tire which is softer, and has a higher level of wear. The tire compounds were initially tested during the All-Star Race weekend at North Wilkesboro, and Richmond Raceway will be the venue when the tire options are provided in the regular season.

With no wins all season and Chase Briscoe looking for a spot in the playoffs, the 29-year-old along with Stewart-Haas Racing will hope to capitalize on the unique set of circumstances at Richmond Raceway to get a favorable result. As things stand, Briscoe is 16th in the driver standings, with two top-five and six top-ten results across 22 races. He has an unlikely, but not mathematically impossible chance of making it to the playoffs, provided consistency and lady luck are on his side in the remaining four races.

What are your thoughts about Chase Briscoe’s playoff hopes? Let us know in the comments!