Getting a seat at Joe Gibbs Racing within days of the shutting down of Stewart-Haas Racing spoke volumes of the trust placed in Chase Briscoe. And he has proved Joe Gibbs right by taking the victory lane at Darlington Raceway and finding a spot in the playoffs. Not only did he help Tony Stewart’s SHR inch closer to a happy retirement, but he also made a point to those who doubted him.

Chase Briscoe’s journey hasn’t been consistent in the four years he’s been racing in the Cup Series. However, he has displayed great potential. He got his first race win in his sophomore year and made it to the Round of 8 the same year. The 2023 season was not that impactful, but the soon-to-be #19 driver still led nearly 200 laps then. And now he is embarking on his second playoff journey with a motive to dominate.

How did the JGR transition boost Tony Stewart’s driver’s spirit?

When asked about his dynamics with JGR, Briscoe responded to Bob Pockrass, “I think your stock instantly goes up when you can win at Darlington for sure, and yeah, just to have those guys believe in me, you know, before I even set foot in the car is a pretty special feeling. So yeah, I was; I really needed the win. Coach came and literally said victory lane for 30 minutes. I mean, just hung out, and I was super excited for me. So, that was really cool.” 

Although there’s no secret recipe to success, Gibbs does have a secret recipe for his driver selection. The JGR owner certainly knows his way around the free agency market. So, it’s a no-brainer that he picked the 2022 dark horse who made heads turn at Phoenix the first time and fell just a little bit short of getting a jab at it for the finale.

But the real reason why Chase Briscoe was really chosen by Gibbs may not have to do anything with his Cup Series performance at all. The Indiana driver sent out ripples with his Xfinity dominance in the 2020 season with nine race wins. So, it wouldn’t be hard to imagine that Joe Gibbs eyed Tony Stewart’s driver ever since and pounced to make the move the moment he saw the chance.

Whatever the story behind signing Briscoe was, it all seems in good faith considering his history with Christopher Bell and the way he was vouched for. Without an iota of doubt, there seems to be a mutual chemistry between JGR and the 29-year-old driver. “Our drivers, we feel like it’s the character, and then, of course, what comes with us is we have to win,” said Joe Gibbs at a media conference. “It’s the most important thing we do, the people that work for us, the people on our team, and certainly Chase, we felt like fit that for us,” added the team owner of the winningest team in the past two decades.

How has JGR fared with its past drivers?

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Sparing a few exceptions, JGR drivers have smashed records in their debuts with the team; Kyle Busch did it with 8 victories in 2008, Matt Kenseth finished the season as a runner-up to the sixth-time champion, Jimmie Johnson, in 2013, and Carl Edwards won 2 of the 3 crown jewels in 2015. Kyle Busch also brought the championship title for the team in 2015.

Given that record, JGR is well-suited for a remarkable driver like Briscoe. If he does shine in 2025, it might surprise the doubters but not the JGR team. As Briscoe rightly pointed out, “I think that win (Darlington) went a long way. You know, with the #19 team, everybody at JGR, you know, even all the doubters, everybody that was saying that I shouldn’t have got that ride in the first place.” Briscoe was in need of good equipment, and he will soon have access to the best out there. So, there is hardly anything that will stop him from making noise out the door. 

With a renewed energy and a dire winning mentality, Chase Briscoe can be seen as one of the most daunting contenders in the 2024 playoffs. Kudos to the driver for beating all odds and best wishes for his success in “the opportunity of a lifetime” as he describes his JGR seat!

Are you a Briscoe supporter or a doubter? Let us know with reasons below.