On Sunday at Pocono Raceway, Chase Briscoe pulled off a significant win as he edged out Denny Hamlin in an intense closing stretch, locking in a playoff berth for himself and a crucial victory for Joe Gibbs Racing. The result sent Denny Hamlin finishes second to Chase Briscoe at Pocono — a finish that closed a dramatic chapter at one of NASCAR’s most challenging tracks.
Briscoe’s Breakthrough After Steep Expectations
Chase Briscoe found himself thrust into the spotlight after joining Joe Gibbs Racing, a team with lofty Cup Series championship history. The change from his previous team’s atmosphere to JGR’s high demands was sharp, as Briscoe revealed,
“you don’t race in this car anymore.”
—Briscoe
Joe Gibbs Racing had made it clear: only results would secure a seat in their cars. Briscoe’s crew chief, James Small, gave insight into the tougher culture, saying,
“It’s been a lot of work,”
—James Small, Crew Chief
“From where he came from, there wasn’t much accountability. Nobody was holding his feet to the fire. That’s probably been a big wake-up call for him.”
—James Small, Crew Chief
For Briscoe, the adaptation involved a sharp learning curve as JGR’s expectations set a new bar for performance and dedication.
A Gritty Race Delivers A Playoff Place
On a muggy afternoon delayed by rain for more than two hours at Pocono, Briscoe drove with steely focus. This win was not only his first with Joe Gibbs Racing, but also his third career Cup Series victory. He stretched his final tanks of fuel to the limit, holding off Hamlin — a driver with a remarkable track record at Pocono — by just 0.682 seconds at the checkered flag. Briscoe described the change in expectations,
“I’ve only won three races in the Cup Series, right? But this is by far the least enjoyable just because it’s expected now,”
—Briscoe
“You have to go win. Where at SHR, you really felt like you surprised the world if you won.”
—Briscoe
Briscoe’s drive gave the No. 19 toyota/”>Toyota its first win since Martin Truex Jr. piloted it last season. The victory nearly aligned with the anniversary of when Briscoe learned he would take over for Truex at Joe Gibbs Racing after Stewart-Haas Racing folded. This success not only earned Briscoe a playoff spot but restored pride in a top-tier race ride for JGR.
Hamlin’s Pursuit Comes Up Short
Denny Hamlin, holding a record seven previous wins at Pocono, was poised to challenge Briscoe in the race’s closing moments. However, even as the laps wound down, Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota could not close the gap. Briscoe admitted the intensity, noting,
“It was just so hard to have a guy chasing you, especially the guy that’s the greatest of all time here,”
—Briscoe
The critical moment came down to fuel strategy. Briscoe made his last pit stop on lap 119, with Hamlin pitting a lap after. Hamlin’s team believed Briscoe might run out of gas, but the rookie JGR driver managed to maintain the lead until the checkered, sending Hamlin to second place. Gillbs, overseeing the team’s tense finish, commented,
“The most nervous I get is when two of our cars are up front,”
—Joe Gibbs
Now, with Hamlin, Christopher Bell, and Briscoe all clinched for the playoffs, JGR’s playoff roster grows stronger.
Adapting to New Pressure at JGR
Briscoe’s integration to JGR’s competition-ready environment required adjustments, particularly against successful teammates. Briscoe reflected on the shift,
“It’s definitely more work but it’s because they’re at such a high level,”
—Briscoe
“Even racing with teammates that are winning has been a big adjustment for me.”
—Briscoe
With the Pocono triumph, Briscoe earns his spot as the eleventh competitor locked into the 16-driver playoff field, with nine races still to come. His fourth top-10 finish in six weeks underscores a newfound performance consistency, including a solid run in the previous week’s Mexico City event.
Crew chief James Small, who remained with JGR despite last season’s disappointments, celebrated a long-awaited victory:
“It’s been a tough couple of years,”
—James Small, Crew Chief
“We’ve never lost belief, any of us.”
—James Small, Crew Chief
Briscoe’s win marks the 18th Cup Series victory for Joe Gibbs Racing at Pocono and puts the Indiana-raised ex-dirt racer firmly on the map among JGR’s standout performers.
Race Incidents, Setbacks, and Recovery
Sunday’s race was gritty, with minimal incidents during the main event, but high-stress moments off and on the track. Briscoe led 72 laps and captured the second stage victory in adverse, muggy conditions. He expressed the personal meaning of the win,
“I literally grew up racing my sprint car video game in a Joe Gibbs Racing Home Depot uniform,”
—Briscoe
“To get Coach in victory lane after them taking a chance on me, it’s so rewarding truthfully. Just a big weight off my shoulders. I’ve been telling my wife the last two weeks, I have to win. To finally come here and do it, it has been a great day.”
—Briscoe
The day also saw cleaner competition between rivals Carson Hocevar and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., following heated incidents at prior events. Hocevar completed a clean pass on Stenhouse, with each driver keeping tempers in check en route to quieter finishes.
A frightening moment occurred on pit road where AJ Allmendinger’s car struck a tire that was being handled by another team’s crew member, Jonpatrik Kealey, who was knocked down but managed to complete his pit work for Shane van Gisbergen’s car. Brake problems derailed the races of Bubba Wallace, Michael McDowell, and Riley Herbst, the latter describing his ordeal:
“It was a scary feeling for sure,”
—Riley Herbst
“I was just starting to get tight, just a bad adjustment on my part. Getting into (turn) one, the brakes just went to the floor. A brake rotor exploded and I was along for the ride.”
—Riley Herbst
Ultimately, the day provided a high-stakes finish, but with most drivers steering clear of severe controversy or additional wrecks.
Final Results and What’s Next
With Denny Hamlin finishing second behind Chase Briscoe at Pocono, the top five was rounded out by Ryan Blaney, Chris Buescher, and Chase Elliott. Briscoe’s emotional victory affirms his place in the Joe Gibbs Racing lineup and signals increased intensity as the playoffs approach. JGR advances to Atlanta next, where Christopher Bell captured the earlier race in March. With the field taking shape and emotions running high, all eyes remain on Briscoe as he navigates fresh pressure and growing expectations in NASCAR’s postseason quest.
