Good race car drivers are hard to come by, especially on the Cup Series level. Most teams try their best to retain their talented drivers, making it hard for competitors to replace a departing veteran, but Joe Gibbs Racing learned this the hard way. In September 2012, the team shared that they brought in veteran driver Matt Kenseth to replace Joey Logano. They wanted Kenseth to stabilize the team, but it turned out to be a short-sighted decision.

It is true that Kenseth was an upgrade for them and in the 2013 season, he closely contested Jimmie Johnson for the year’s championship. But he was already 40 when he signed with JGR and his best days were already behind him. On the other hand, Logano, who was just 22 at that time, moved ahead with Team Penske. After years of investing in Logano’s development, JGR didn’t stick around to taste the fruits of its labor and was instead harvested by Penske.

Now, Joe Gibbs Racing found themselves in a similar situation when Martin Truex Jr. announced he wouldn’t be returning to the #19 car in 2025. With limited options and not willing to bet on the young talent from either Xfinity or Truck Series, JGR identified Tony Stweart’s driver, Chase Briscoe, as the ideal candidate. Kenny Wallace has some thoughts about this.

“Chase is a good race car driver. Would there have been a better choice? I mean, however. Joe Gibbs knows what he’s doing, you would think. But then, also let’s go back. He let Joey Logano go. Joe Gibbs Racing let Joe Logano go and Roger Penske says, ‘Okay we’ll take him. I think he is ready.’ Do you guys think Joe Gibbs learned from that and said okay Chase Briscoe?” Kenny Wallace said this on the Dale Jr. Download.

This selection was indeed a surprise for many as Briscoe, for the most part, had struggled with SHR in the Cup Series. Before his win at Darlington Raceway that helped him breakthrough into the playoffs, he had a sole win to his name in three years driving the #4 Ford. But, like Logano, there’s no doubting Briscoe’s racing talent, which he did showcase at the Xfinity level.

Further, Kenny Wallace sarcastically roasted the veteran team owner after Briscoe proved his mettle by emerging victorious at Darlington. “I’m laughing at myself because if there was a hidden camera you know like a looking live, when Chase Briscoe wins Darlington and they show you Joe Gibbs, he’s probably going Ric Flair, woo.”

However, did Joe Gibbs Racing make the right call in assigning the keys of the #19 Toyota Camry to Briscoe?

JGR made the most of the choices they had

JGR was pretty tight in terms of prospects that could replace Martin Truex Jr. Noah Gragson, a young talent with a lot of potential could have been a choice, but he was bagged by Front Row Motorsports.

Then Chandler Smith from the Xfinity roster looked like a bright spark but lacked the experience. There were also rumors that Kyle Busch could potentially stage a reunion with his former team, but in the end, they were only rumors. And ultimately, they bagged the senior driver from the defunct SHR team.

What Briscoe brings to the table is four years of Cup racing experience with a proven track record. Even when things have been against him and his team, he has managed to grind out those tough days. This was the case for the entirety of 2024, but he made a big turnaround with his Darlington win. He did make it past the first round of the playoffs and is eyeing to have a deep playoff run.

At 29, it is fair to say that Briscoe still has the best years of racing ahead of him. Christopher Bell and Briscoe form a good duo who would lead the JGR lineup in the future.

Like Truex Jr., Hamlin’s days competing in the #11 car are numbered, so the team is ensuring they have the right personnel in place before that transition happens. However, the success of Briscoe’s move to the team depends on his performance on the track next year. What do you think?