Chase Briscoe is securing his place in the Chase Briscoe NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs during one of his most complete seasons, yet his achievements have largely flown under the radar. Driving the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota for the first time after moving from Stewart-Haas Racing, Briscoe is defying expectations and carving his own path to success.
This season, at age 30, Briscoe stepped into a prestigious seat vacated by Martin Truex Jr., bringing the weight of new expectations. Despite sharing a garage with headline-making teammates like Denny Hamlin, who boasts a series-best four wins, and Christopher Bell, who started the season with an impressive three consecutive victories, Briscoe has quietly matched their performance with consistent results. His season-defining moment arrived at Pocono Raceway in late July, although he had already shown strong form with four fourth-place finishes at Daytona, Homestead, Bristol, and Kansas. Yet, until Pocono, a win had eluded him, leaving his playoff hopes uncertain.
Breakthrough Victory at Pocono Sparks Briscoe’s Playoff Surge
Briscoe’s turning point came during the Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono Raceway, where he started from pole position—the fourth time he achieved this feat in 2025—and led 72 of 160 laps. The race tested his nerve and tactical judgment, especially in the closing 34 laps as he managed fuel and fended off fierce competition from teammate Denny Hamlin, who holds the record for the most Pocono wins, and Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney, himself a two-time track victor.
In a testament to his strategic racing approach, Briscoe maintained a slender lead, ultimately crossing the line 0.682 seconds ahead of Hamlin. This win marked his first with Joe Gibbs Racing, the third Cup Series victory of his career, and secured his place in the upcoming playoffs. The triumph also gave weight to the confidence he expressed earlier in the season following a runner-up finish at Sonoma:
“I feel like I get overlooked a lot of the time, but I hopefully will be able to kind of earn the respect of a lot of guys… This No. 19 car finally lets me show what I feel like I’m capable of. I honestly think there’s only been two tracks all year long where we couldn’t have won from a speed standpoint.”
—Chase Briscoe, Driver
Polishing his craft in a new environment, Briscoe has credited much of his growth to Joe Gibbs’ proactive leadership style:
“Just having the boss around. Like Coach (Joe Gibbs) is in every meeting. He’s at the race track every single weekend… Where(as) with Coach, that is his full-time job. He’s just trying to make Joe Gibbs Racing as successful as it can be. So even just having the boss there and having somebody that’s going to hold you accountable on Monday if you run bad.”
—Chase Briscoe, Driver
After the pivotal Pocono success, Briscoe’s confidence began to translate regularly into strong race-day performances.
A Season Marked by Consistency and Growth
Following Pocono, Briscoe continued to climb, finishing second at the Sonoma road course—his best effort yet in that discipline—just behind Shane van Gisbergen. After experiencing moderate setbacks at the Chicago Street Course and Atlanta Speedway, he bounced back at Dover, a track previously challenging for him, registering a second-place finish from a second-place start and showing impressive adaptability.
The Brickyard 400, a special race for Briscoe due to its proximity to his home, saw him secure the pole position, dominate Stage 1, and conclude the contest in 18th place. His strong season continued the following week at Iowa, where he earned his sixth pole—making it two in a row—and capped the event with another runner-up finish. As the series heads toward Watkins Glen, Briscoe sits comfortably in eighth place in the standings, amassing 640 points, a testament to his steady progression.
Watkins Glen International, site of the Go Bowling at The Glen, presents a fresh challenge with its 90-lap, 220.5-mile layout. Though Briscoe’s record at the New York course includes just two top-10 finishes in four starts, his recent upgrades in performance hint at the potential for a notable result. His improvement draws favorable comparisons to the former No. 19 driver, Martin Truex Jr., who historically excelled not only at Watkins Glen, but also at the subsequent Richmond and Daytona rounds.
Given the current form of the No. 19 team, the possibility of multiple late-season wins cannot be dismissed. Briscoe’s surge has minimized the “dark horse” narrative as he continues to prove himself among stars like Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell, Ryan Blaney, and teammates at Joe Gibbs Racing. If this trend holds, Chase Briscoe’s push toward the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs could see him not only in contention for a deeper postseason run but also earning the respect and attention that his results truly warrant.
