Chase Briscoe came agonizingly close to victory in a dramatic Chase Briscoe Dover race finish on Sunday at Dover Motor Speedway, falling just short after an intense final battle with teammate Denny Hamlin. The tense closing laps saw Briscoe make a bold charge for his second win of the season, but the contest ended with him in the runner-up spot once again, emphasizing both his frustration and determination.
Intense Battle for the Lead in the Final Laps
The race’s final act began after a prolonged red flag and a late restart, with Dover Motor Speedway setting the scene for a high-stakes Joe Gibbs Racing encounter. The runoff for the lead initially involved Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin, but when Bell spun underneath Hamlin during a decisive restart, the door opened for Briscoe to challenge for the win.
Armed with fresher tires on his No. 19 toyota/”>Toyota, Briscoe entered a two-lap dash that held the promise of a major victory in just his first year with Joe Gibbs Racing. The rapidly unfolding events after the late restart gave Briscoe track position and a renewed shot at the front, heightening the drama of the closing stages.
Hamlin Holds Off Briscoe in a Teammate Showdown
Despite his fresh tires and aggressive driving, Briscoe found Hamlin tough to beat. On the penultimate lap, Hamlin managed to clear him on the frontstretch after the white flag, sealing Briscoe’s fate as a multiple-time runner-up. The disappointment was clear for Briscoe, who addressed the challenge of battling a teammate in such a high-pressure contex.
“If it wasn’t a teammate, I definitely could have been more aggressive,”
—Chase Briscoe, Driver
Briscoe reflected on the situation, noting how his restraint stemmed from being part of the same Joe Gibbs Racing camp as Hamlin. As he explained, he wanted to avoid risking a crash that could hand the win to another competitor.
“The odds of one of us wrecking were pretty high, and I want to make sure a JGR car wins the race. It would not have been a good Monday morning meeting if I go in there and do something and wreck us both and somebody else wins.”
—Chase Briscoe, Driver
Strong Summer Run Fuels Playoff Hopes
The result at Dover came just one week after Briscoe’s second-place finish at Sonoma, adding momentum to his current summer push toward a strong playoff standing. While valuable points are at stake, Briscoe remains aware that wins matter most in the playoff calculus, underscoring his frustration with another near-miss.
“I was trying to be smart about it, but also going for the win, too,”
—Chase Briscoe, Driver
Despite his efforts, he fell just shy of overtaking Hamlin and lamented the small margins that denied him victory.
“I just needed the back of the Camry to be about three to four inches shorter, I was all but clear [of Hamlin] but couldn’t get it done.”
—Chase Briscoe, Driver
Late-Race Turns Create New Opportunities
Earlier in the race, Briscoe’s performance had not suggested a race-winning potential, as he was mired further back in the field. The late sequence of incidents—including a red flag, shifting tire strategies, and several restarts—brought Briscoe into contention and set up the duel with Hamlin for the finish.
“We were not the best car, by any means,”
—Chase Briscoe, Driver
The driver candidly assessed his car’s pace, acknowledging the surprising improvement in his result.
“We weren’t even a second-place car. Realistically, we should have finished fifth to 10th, that’s just the speed we had.”
—Chase Briscoe, Driver
Briscoe further explained the team’s struggles to find that final edge of performance.
“We just lacked five percent of what we needed to be the best car. I just could never get there for some reason. Fortunately, we were able to make something out of it at the end, I just we were on the other end of it.”
—Chase Briscoe, Driver
What the Results Mean Going Forward
The dramatic finish at Dover Motor Speedway, punctuated by late-race attrition and a narrowly lost charge for victory, reinforced Briscoe’s competitive drive and his position as a playoff contender for Joe Gibbs Racing. For Denny Hamlin, defending the lead added to a season filled with intra-team drama and high stakes, with Christopher Bell’s spin shaping the outcome. As the season continues, fans and competitors alike will watch closely to see if Briscoe can finally convert his recent momentum and tight battles into that elusive win—something the Chase Briscoe Dover race finish proved is well within reach.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Where will Chase Briscoe be in 2025?
A. In 2025, Chase Briscoe will become part of the successful Joe Gibbs Racing team. He will drive the No. 19 Toyota Camry XSE after Martin Truex, Jr. retires.
Q. Where is Chase Briscoe going in 2025?
A. Switching from Stewart Haas Racing to Joe Gibbs Racing has increased expectations for Briscoe, who is doing remarkably well in the Cup Series this year. Chase Briscoe was picked by JGR a year ago to take over for Martin Truex Jr., who had shared plans to retire from full-time racing after the 2024 season.
