Atlanta Motor Speedway is not the typical mile-and-a-half racetrack like the Texas of Las Vegas one. Ever since it was reconfigured in 2021, the racing at the quad-oval intermediate track has changed drastically. High banked turns at 28 degrees and widening of the front stretch have led to a superspeedway style of racing. But all this has been accompanied by more drama and, of course, crashes.

Although it’s a drafting venue, drivers do not hesitate in forcing the issue to go three or even four wide. This is something Chase Briscoe might know well, as he was the aggressor during the spring race back in February. But, unfortunately, his tactics proved detrimental to his cause a pile-up with just 20 laps to go. He bit more than he could chew and eventually ended up wrecking, despite having a strong race car and a shot at winning the race. However, this crash wouldn’t deter his second attempt at the racetrack now that he has made the playoffs. Rather, he will make a sound call on when to force the issue from his past learnings.

Chase Briscoe isn’t going to tone down his aggression

Stewart Haas Racing has lacked the race-winning speeds in the past few years. For Briscoe, the 2024 year came with added pressure in the leadership role after Kevin Harvick’s departure. Post a top 10 finish in Daytona, the SHR driver had a really good race car coming into the Atlanta race. Out of all the race cars, the No. 14 Ford Mustang was able to pull out of the draft and have strong runs. Until it all came to a screeching halt when he decided to go 4-wide with 20 laps to go.

He did take ownership of the crash he sparked, but he won’t let his foot off the gas going into the playoffs. “I don’t think I would change how I necessarily approach that race as far as being really aggressive and making moves. I know my car was really good, but I do think it was a really good lesson I learned at the last race. I put myself in a really, really bad spot. The risk vs. reward was not there.” Briscoe said this to Bob Pockrass.

The mile-and-a-half tracks have been his strong suit despite the lack of pace on other venues. He finished P5 at Darlington Raceway and ended with a runner-up finish at New Hampshire. Ultimately, these strong runs converted into a vital victory in the fall race at the Track Too Tough to Tame, ensuring his qualification into the playoffs.

Understanding that there’s no margin for error going into the final 10 races of the season, he will be cautious about his tactics during the races. “And that’s something that, especially during these playoffs you can’t dig yourself in the hole…So I definitely think that was a good lesson to learn, I didn’t understand the lesson at the time probably, but now I certainly do,” he added.

Although it’s hard to see Briscoe and the #14 team go toe-to-toe with the likes of Kyle Larson or Denny Hamlin, he can script an underdog story.

NASCAR playoffs are all but unpredictable

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If there was one team and a driver who needed a good break, it was Chase Briscoe and SHR. This format has seen a lot of criticism, but when Briscoe locked himself in the playoffs with a Darlington win, the feeling was different. Now, he isn’t one of the star drivers under pressure to deliver the results, and this just might allow him to script a strong run in the knockout rounds.

“We all have a chip on our shoulder to prove to the world that we can do it, and there’s a lot of guys that still don’t have a job going into next year. I know Stewart Haas Racing is gonna give me everything I need. I know Ford is going to give me everything I need, so it (pulling off a big upset) doesn’t scare me. It gives us a little bit of advantage because no team can relate to what we’re going through and kind of makes us different.” Briscoe explained during the media day ahead of the Atlanta race.

Briscoe and SHR can script a perfect send-off if they keep continuing on their momentum from the win at Darlington. However, they will need a perfect stretch of 10 races to be able to pull off this ambitious task.