Chase Briscoe returned to Sonoma Raceway in 2025 with a different car, a new team, and something to prove. The road course is known for its tight turns and tough climbs, but Chase Briscoe looked more confident than ever. Just one year earlier, things ended very differently for him on the same track. What changed between those two races? A closer look at both seasons shows how much can happen in just twelve months on the NASCAR Cup Series schedule.
2024: Struggling at the Back with Stewart-Haas Racing
The 2024 season was a tough one for Chase Briscoe, both on and off the track. Driving for Stewart-Haas Racing, a team that had already announced it would shut down at season’s end, Briscoe entered Sonoma with more questions than answers. His performance reflected the instability surrounding the organization.
He qualified mid-pack and never found the speed or rhythm needed to move forward. On a track where momentum and braking precision are critical, Briscoe was simply outmatched. He faded as the race wore on and eventually crossed the line in 34th place, far from the top-10 territory expected of a rising road course talent.
2024 Key Takeaways:
Finish: 34th place
Team: Stewart-Haas Racing
Qualifying: Mid-pack
Race Narrative: No pace, no position gain, difficult handling all day
The result added to a season of frustration. Even though Briscoe would go on to win the Southern 500 later that year, Sonoma served as a clear low point—highlighting just how much work needed to be done.
2025: A Breakthrough Drive with Joe Gibbs Racing
Fast forward to 2025, and everything changed. Now driving the No. 19 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, Briscoe entered Sonoma with fresh confidence and far better tools at his disposal. He rolled off from the front row and stayed up front all afternoon, running second to Shane van Gisbergen for most of the final stage.
On three separate late-race restarts, Briscoe lined up beside SVG but couldn’t complete the pass. Still, his second-place finish was his best-ever result at Sonoma and marked a massive leap forward from the year before.
“That’s all I got. We were definitely the second-best car. SVG is just unbelievable on these road courses, but I’m proud of our effort and how far we’ve come.” – Chase Briscoe
2025 Highlights:
Finish: 2nd place
Team: Joe Gibbs Racing
Qualifying: Front row
Race Narrative: Fast and clean, consistent pressure on SVG, handled restarts with precision
It wasn’t just a solid day—it was a breakthrough performance on one of the Cup Series’ toughest tracks.
The Stats: From 34th to 2nd in One Year
| Year | Team | Finish | Qualifying | Race Narrative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Stewart-Haas Racing | 34th | Mid-pack | Off-pace all day, struggled throughout |
| 2025 | Joe Gibbs Racing | 2nd | Front row | Strong throughout, best in class behind SVG |
That leap—32 positions gained year-over-year—is among the most dramatic improvements of the 2025 season and a clear marker of Briscoe’s upward momentum.
What Changed for Chase Briscoe?
1. Team Upgrade
The switch to Joe Gibbs Racing brought immediate improvements in engineering, support, and strategy. On road courses, where setup precision and pit decisions are especially important, the difference was clear. Briscoe had the tools to compete—and he used them.
2. Confidence Boost
Already a winner in 2025 (at Pocono) and a multiple-time pole sitter, Briscoe entered Sonoma with more momentum than ever before. That confidence showed in his racecraft—calm in traffic, decisive on restarts, and composed under pressure from behind.
3. Learning from 2024
Instead of letting last year’s poor result drag him down, Briscoe used it as fuel. The experience helped him approach 2025 with a smarter, more measured mindset. He avoided the mistakes that plagued him before and made the most of every opportunity that came his way.
Chase Briscoe’s Place in the 2025 Road Course
While Shane van Gisbergen may have stolen headlines by dominating Sonoma, Chase Briscoe stood out as the clear next-best driver. No one else came close to SVG’s pace, but Briscoe made it a contest. His run wasn’t a fluke—it was the culmination of equipment, execution, and growth.
And that growth is turning heads.
Heading into the summer stretch, Briscoe is now seen as a dark horse contender—not just on road courses, but for the playoffs as a whole. With more challenging tracks still to come, including Watkins Glen and the Charlotte Roval, Briscoe could be a threat when it matters most.
News in Brief: Chase Briscoe’s Sonoma Year-Over-Year Improvement
Chase Briscoe bounced back from a disappointing 34th-place finish at Sonoma in 2024 to a career-best 2nd-place effort in 2025. Now driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, Briscoe pushed Shane van Gisbergen through three restarts but ultimately settled for runner-up honors. With smarter strategy, better equipment, and increased confidence, Briscoe has firmly established himself as a legitimate threat—especially on road courses.
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