Chase Briscoe took center stage at the NASCAR Cup Series Playoff Media Day, stating he feels more equipped than ever as he starts the playoffs with Joe Gibbs Racing. The focus keyword, Chase Briscoe NASCAR Playoff Media Day, underscored the event, which highlighted his new sense of confidence and resources heading into one of motorsport’s toughest seasons.
Briscoe, now piloting the No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry XSE, expressed a distinct change in his outlook compared to previous playoff appearances, emphasizing the advantages of being part of a top-tier team. The media session provided insights into his expectations, strategy, and mindset as he prepared to contend for the championship.
New Tools and Outlook Shape Briscoe’s Playoff Mindset
Attending Playoff Media Day represented a turning point for Briscoe, who acknowledged the significant difference in his situation from prior years. He openly discussed the unique advantage he feels now with Joe Gibbs Racing, explaining that in past years he was just thrilled to qualify but lacked the tools to be a real contender. Now, Briscoe believes he is poised to genuinely compete for the championship if the team executes at its best.
“To a certain extent. Definitely feels different than the prior Playoff runs, because of the situation, right? Like you were saying, I kind of have everything I need now where before, you’re just kind of excited to be there and you’re hoping that works out, but you know it’s going be an up-hill. Where now, I feel like if we can just execute, we have a really good chance to potentially win the championship. So yeah, it definitely feels different this time around and yeah, hopefully we can you know put it all together.”
—Chase Briscoe, Driver
Addressing Track Performance and Near Victories
Briscoe has consistently found himself in strong race positions, often finishing second behind top competitors like Shane Van Gisbergen. He acknowledged the challenges of converting good track position into victories, citing instances where risk-reward scenarios made it difficult to push for the win without jeopardizing the car or race outcome. Briscoe views the repeated near-wins as an encouraging sign that his team is capable and just needs to execute in critical moments.
“Yeah, it’s tough. Like you said, we’ve finished second a lot, but the one was to SVG (Shane Van Gisbergen) and that one, I don’t think I could have won unless something crazy happened to him. The Dover race, I definitely think I could have potentially won, but it was very high risk of wrecking myself and I don’t remember where the other one was where we finished second (Iowa), but I’m sure there is a chance to win that one potentially too. Yeah, don’t know. If you keep putting yourself in those positions, you’re going to win more races. And the good thing is, we’re in position. It’s just a matter of putting it all together there at the end. I feel good about it. Hopefully we can continue to put ourselves in those positions and they’ll eventually go our way.”
—Chase Briscoe, Driver
Teaming Up with Christopher Bell and the Joe Gibbs Organization
Briscoe reflected on how his journey has brought him to a point where he is now teammates with Christopher Bell, reminiscing on their early days of friendship and racing video games together. The transition from public relations roles to driving side by side for a title spot highlights the unpredictable nature of careers in motorsports. Joe Gibbs Racing’s culture of competitiveness among teammates means he is prepared to face Bell or others in high-stake races, seeing it simply as part of their weekly routine even if a championship is on the line.
“No, not really. We kind of had one of those moments when we were flying to Mexico this year on Coach (Joe Gibbs, team owner)’s plane and we’re like, ‘man if you had told us 10 years ago when we were hanging out and playing video games that we’d be flying on Coach Gibbs playing together to Mexico to race the cup race,’ like we would both thought you were crazy. Yeah, it’s pretty wild. Facebook has those memories and stuff and mine popped up there, just this week, I was doing PR for (Chrsitopher) Bell like 10 years ago and now I’m his teammate and fighting for the championship with him, so it’s pretty wild.”
—Chase Briscoe, Driver
“(It’d be) another race. I mean honestly, just the culture at JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing), you’re kind of racing your teammates to win every single week. I mean the championship, there’s a lot more on the line, but you still have a lot of experience of racing those guys for the win and battling up front with them. I don’t think it really changes anything.”
—Chase Briscoe, Driver
Rising Confidence and New Perspectives
This playoff run marks the first time Briscoe truly believes he can win a Cup championship, a feeling he attributes to his improved circumstances at Joe Gibbs Racing as compared to Stewart-Haas Racing. The shift in mentality is significant for the driver, as he moves from just happy-to-be-here optimism to expecting himself to be in contention.
“For sure. I was telling my wife that couple weeks ago, ‘this is really the first time I’ve ever legitimately thought I could win a Cup championship.’ In the past, you make the Playoffs and it’s exciting, but down deep you kind of know that the odds of you winning are pretty slim, right? Whereas now, not to say that I’m the favorite by any means, but I feel like I have a legitimate chance to go do it, where at SHR (Stewart-Haas Racing), you never really felt like you had a legitimate shot to do it. Definitely feels different this time around knowing that you have a shot and I would say this Playoffs feels different because of that.”
—Chase Briscoe, Driver
Crew Chief’s Impact and Mental Adjustments
Working with crew chief James Small and Joe Gibbs Racing’s engineering team has significantly bolstered Briscoe’s confidence and approach. He highlighted how the strength of the team and car allows him to avoid taking unnecessary risks, focusing instead on consistent top-10 finishes and overall execution. The change of mindset has been crucial for Briscoe, who now avoids pushing beyond his car’s capabilities, understanding that solid, controlled performance can yield better playoff results than constant high-risk maneuvers.
“Yeah, a huge part. As a driver, you’re only as good as the team and the car that you’re in, right? James (Small, crew chief) and the entire engineering group and JGR at whole, they give you really good race cars week in and week out, and that’s been something that’s been an adjustment for me this year. Understanding that and knowing the risk vs reward, knowing that even on a bad day, we should still run right around the 10th and that’s an adjustment for me to kind of be able to realize that in the moment and comprehend what’s going on because in the past, 10th was still a pretty good day. Especially during these Playoffs, that’s going to be something to realize is, ‘hey, don’t panic. If you just do your job, you’re probably going to run top 10-ish, for sure top 15-ish even on a bad day.’ That’s been something for me I’ve had to really adjust my mind too is I don’t have to try as hard. It sounds weird, but I don’t have to take these huge risks, I don’t have to do all these things because the car’s capability is going to help me a lot of the time compared to what I’m racing against, so that’s definitely been something for me that’s been a mentality shift.”
—Chase Briscoe, Driver
Navigating Playoff Hurdles and the Importance of Points
Briscoe recognized that the path to the Championship Four is not just about winning but also maximizing playoff points, especially given the points deficit his team currently faces. He stressed the importance of strong execution in the early rounds and the need for race wins to improve their standing. Briscoe’s comments revealed not only awareness of the playoff structure and the significance of each round, but also his realistic strategy for advancing deep into the postseason.
“I think for us is just executing. I would love to have more Playoff points. I’m confident that we can get to that Round of 8, but once you get to the Round of 8, at our points deficit, there’s a chance you’re going to almost have to win the race. Somebody’s going to be able to point their way into the final four, but realistically for us, it’s probably not going to be an option. We’re already starting 20, 30 points behind, so that’s the big thing I think for us is we have to be able to execute in these first two rounds and hopefully win a race or two. If we can do that and shorten that gap Playoff point-wise, I think it puts us in a better spot. For me, just from an execution standpoint, that’s the biggest thing and just trying to win a race these first two rounds, just trying to get more Playoff points to set us up for easier way to that final four.”
—Chase Briscoe, Driver
Learning from Teammates and Adapting Cup Series Tactics
Drawing on observations from veteran Joe Gibbs Racing teammates such as Denny Hamlin, Briscoe explained the need to balance aggression with calculated moves. He acknowledged the difference in approach compared to his previous years, pointing out that understanding the “big picture” of a race comes with experience and with having better equipment. Adapting his mindset to minimize unnecessary risks, particularly on restarts, has been a learning curve as he transitions into a new performance tier in the series.
“Yeah, for sure. Denny (Hamlin) does a really good job of just mentally understanding the race and he’s been doing it for 19, 20 years, right? So, he understands that big picture and plus, he’s been doing it that whole time and Joe Gibbs Racing cars. Where for me, it’s been a little bit harder because for four or five years, all I’ve known is one style of Cup racing where it’s kind of tooth and nail and it still is tooth and nail, but your car is going to carry you more than what I’ve had in the past and that’s been something for me I feel like I’ve not done a great job of in the first 10-15, even the first 26 races this season is understanding that risk vs reward on restarts and such. I’ve always had to take these huge risky moves and make these really aggressive decisions, but there’s always a big risk of them not working out and losing positions or wrecking. Where now, I don’t necessarily have to take those big of risks as your car is going to normally get you back up there. That’s just been a big thing for me to learn over the course of this year.”
—Chase Briscoe, Driver
Expectations and Mentality at Joe Gibbs Racing
At Joe Gibbs Racing the expectation is higher than at some of Briscoe’s previous teams. He noted that simply making the playoffs is not enough—reaching the Round of 8 or even the Championship Four is an internal team benchmark. Briscoe discussed how this new mentality drives him to push for more and to treat making the playoffs as the beginning rather than the end of their objectives.
“Yeah, I mean we need to go and perform in the Playoffs, right? That’s the difference now is that (at) SHR, did you want to get knocked out of the Round of 16? No, but if you did like there was nobody like, ‘man, that was a disappointing season.’ They were still excited they made the Playoffs. Where here (Joe Gibbs Racing), it’s almost like if you don’t make the Round of 8, that’s kind of a failure on the year and really the final four even, right? It’s just a different mentality. For me, think we’re fully capable of making it to the final four. From a speed standpoint, I would say arguably we are one of the better cars kind of week in and week out, it’s just a matter of putting the whole race together. That’s where you see that The William Byrons and the Denny (Hamlin)’s of the world, they’re doing a better job right now putting the whole race together than what we do, and a lot of that falls on myself going back to what I was just saying with the risk versus reward. I think as I get better in understanding and getting more experience, that’ll be better for me. But yeah, I’m glad we were able to win a race and make the Playoffs, but now that we’re here, we need to do something about it.”
—Chase Briscoe, Driver
Overcoming Playoff Setbacks and Bouncing Back
Reflecting on his past playoff experiences, Briscoe noted that early points deficits haven’t fazed him. He recounted being last in points after the opening playoff race twice and still managing to advance. The driver thrives under pressure, drawing on past adversity as motivation to push harder and challenge expectations.
“I don’t know. I guess I haven’t really thought about that, but I think both times I’ve been in the Playoffs, I’ve been last in the points after the first race and I’ve still been able to make it on to the rounds after that. For me, it’s never over until it’s over, and obviously, you don’t want to have a bad race, but I mean it can happen to anybody, right, and you just have to go and put your best effort forward. Just because you have a points deficit, doesn’t mean you’re out of it, necessarily. We’ve seen that time and time again, so hopefully, we’re not in that position come after Sunday night but if we are, it’s definitely a position I feel comfortable in, as crazy as that sounds. I’ve been under the cutline a lot my entire career in the Cup Series and I feel like I almost perform better when I’m in that position. I’m not worried if adversity does happen. Hopefully it doesn’t, but if it does, it’s certainly somewhere I feel comfortable.”
—Chase Briscoe, Driver
Personal Milestones: Racing Against Idols and Becoming a Role Model
Briscoe reminisced on his early NASCAR years, recalling the thrill of racing against idols like Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin. The experience of qualifying and running alongside veteran Cup Series icons served as a major highlight. As he continues his Cup career, Briscoe has become conscious of the possibility that young drivers now look up to him in the same way, something he considers both surreal and an honor, reinforcing his commitment to being a positive influence for upcoming talent.
“Oh man, that’s a tough question. I don’t even know. I mean even to this day too, I think it’s cool when I’m racing around Kyle Busch or Denny Hamlin. Those were kind of the guys that are still around from when I was growing up racing. I’d say Kyle Busch was the first moment where I had, that it was in the Truck Series at the time and he came and ran Atlanta. It was like my second ever NASCAR race and I remember, I think I qualified right behind him and ran behind him for a lot of the first stage and it was just like. ‘Holy smokes, I’m on the race track with Kyle Busch.’ I would say he was probably the first one.”
—Chase Briscoe, Driver
“It’s still weird to me that I’m even considered to be like one of those people, truthfully. Feel like I’m norma Chase and I still shouldn’t really be here, truthfully. I don’t know it’s weird that, there is probably some kid out there racing where potentially, I’m their favorite driver and it’s odd. I don’t feel like I’m one of those guys. When I go run the Chili Bowl, like I’m sure there’s somebody in my heart race saying, ‘oh man, there’s a Cup guy in here,’ and I don’t feel that way at all. That’s weird to think about. I never thought of it.”
—Chase Briscoe, Driver
Influence of New Driver Generation on NASCAR
Briscoe placed himself among a growing core of drivers who are reshaping the Cup Series for the next decade and a half. He emphasized the importance of being a respected figure both on and off the track, striving to act as a gracious competitor and role model for aspiring drivers. This forward-thinking approach underlies his motivation, hoping to leave a positive stamp on the sport during his career.
“Yeah, we are kind of that next (pause), for the next 15 years, we’re going to be kind of the core group of guys, right? You’re going to have some people come in along the way, but for the most part, that is the group I’m going to race against my entire career. Hopefully, I can be one of those like marquee guys, I guess. For me, it’s always important to be one of those people that fans can look up to or fellow race car drivers or young kids. I try to always make sure that I know that just because I don’t think the camera’s on me, I need to be acting like there is one. Doing things respectfully and race on the race track respectfully, but off the race track, be a gracious competitor and hopefully I can be that for a lot of people. It is crazy to think that I’m going to be potentially one of those guys that was like that core Cup guy I grew up watching.”
—Chase Briscoe, Driver
Developing Fuel-Saving Skills and Their Role in Modern Racing
In reflecting on his win at Pocono, Briscoe described how his father’s advice played a crucial part in maximizing strategy. He credited not only his on-track decisions but also his unexpected talent for saving fuel as critical to the victory, gaining praise from crew chief James Small. This ability, he admitted, came from competitive habits developed with Noah Gragson, turning playful bets over who could shut off their car engine the most into a legitimate edge during races. Briscoe now conserves fuel even when it’s not strictly necessary, building strong habits for unpredictable race days.
“Yeah, it’s odd. My dad’s always told me, ‘if you just slow down a little bit, you probably go faster,’ and it was it was the truth. Pocono, I think I definitely could have went faster if I needed to. It wasn’t like I was running really crazy fast because I remember (Tyler) Reddick pulled out in front of me a lap down and drove away from us. But, where my car was better compared to Denny (Hamlin), I could maximize the straight away so long he would never get back to me on corner entry to be able to do something with how early I was lifting. We even talked about it our debrief, I think it was (Ryan) Blaney was running third, if Blaney would have been behind me, I think I would have got passed because his car was so strong down the straightaways. The Toyotas were not very fast down the straightaway, so it allowed me to get a big enough gap that I could lift early and save fuel where if a Ford was behind me, I don’t think I could have done that. Between that and then just under caution, I didn’t realize but James (Small) told me I’m like unbelievable saving fuel under caution compared to everybody else that he’s seen. I don’t know (why), I guess I’m really good at shutting the thing off and rolling for a long time, I don’t know. I always thought I wasn’t very good at it, but according to their numbers, I’m really good compared to most guys. I guess between that and the on-track stuff, I was able to save enough.”
—Chase Briscoe, Driver
“Yeah, I think it’s definitely important. It’s definitely something that adds up. You don’t realize how much goes into the fuel savings side. That’s something for me, I mean really every week, I’m kind of just saving fuel all the time under caution like it’s become a habit. Even weeks where we don’t need to be saving fuel, I’m just saving fuel just at the sake of it because you know, pit stop, you never know what can happen and I think it eventually adds up. That’s just been something I’ve really kind of burned into my mind over the course of the last couple of years in in Cup racing and it’s obviously worked out for us.”
—Chase Briscoe, Driver
“Yeah, and honestly, it kind of started with Noah (Gragson) at SHR, he had always a running bet if we could have the most shut off time. We would always just compete against each other and it’s made it where it’s almost like a habit now of just I just always I’m shutting the car off and saving fuel. Something that started off as a game has turned into a habit for me and something that has helped.”
—Chase Briscoe, Driver
Evolution from Spring to Darlington: Team Confidence and Strengths
The team’s evolution over the course of the season has been marked, particularly after the Coca-Cola 600. Briscoe noted a dramatic increase in stage points scored and overall team confidence, affirming that they are fundamentally different from where they started. He said Darlington in the spring was their weakest race, but he feels heading into the Southern 500, the entire team has transformed, now focusing on strengths such as raw speed and pit crew performance while emphasizing flawless execution throughout each race.
“Yeah, it’s way different. I don’t even think you can look at the first, really all the way up to the Coke 600. It’s a totally different race team (then) than what it is now. I think at the Coke 600, I think we had a total of 17 stage points scored, and now, probably over 100, I would say. It’s definitely a different race team, totally different feel to it, confidence, everything. Darlington (in the spring), I would say was probably our worst race this season, but I feel like we’re just a totally different race team.”
—Chase Briscoe, Driver
Playoff Approach: Strengths, Weaknesses, and Execution Focus
Briscoe detailed the elements he views as their biggest assets and vulnerabilities. Speed has been a consistent strength across all track styles, whereas mistakes in execution, whether on pit road or behind the wheel, have proven costly at times. With ten races remaining, the priority is clear: maximize each opportunity, avoid preventable setbacks, and rely on their solid speed to deliver results in the playoffs.
“For us, our strength is our speed. There’s really not a single style of race track where we haven’t been one of the faster cars in general. I think for us, you know our pit crew has been really good, we just we have a couple of blow up pit stops and just mistakes. Think it all just gets bundled into execution, whether it’s pit crew or myself on the race track. Just executing races from lap one to the final lap. That’s really what I feel like separates teams in the Playoffs is just making sure you execute and don’t make these mistakes that take you out of the day and if we can do that for 10 weeks, from a speed standpoint. we should have plenty of speed you know run up front and get points. It’s going to be a matter of not shooting ourselves in the foot and if we can do that, I feel like we have a really good shot.”
—Chase Briscoe, Driver
Preparing for the Southern 500 and Changing Playoff Tactics
Looking ahead to the Southern 500, Briscoe noted the difference between entering as a must-win scenario at the end of the regular season last year, and now aiming to maximize each playoff race without taking unnecessary risks. Winning carries the added value of securing playoff points and easing pressure in future rounds, but Briscoe remains focused on steady, strategic racing to advance through each three-race playoff stage.
“I feel like we need to go win it just to lock into the next round. It’s different your back’s up against the wall when it’s the last race of the regular season (in 2024) and you’re not going to race for a championship if you don’t win. But I feel like being in the Playoffs (this year), it’s the same feeling, like you have to go perform. You can’t go there and have a bad day, and especially in the Playoffs, it’s really three three-week seasons and that’s how you have to look at it. You have to run well three weeks in a row, three times and if you can do that, then you have a good shot at it. Yeah I still feel like, (pause), it’s not a must win, right? If I’m running sixth, I don’t need to be doing everything I got to try to win the race and potentially wreck. I need to just maximize that day, but certainly, I mean if you can win the race, you need to do it. Just the Playoff points that come along with that in the next couple rounds are big. So hopefully, we can go there and back up what we were able to do last year but it’s going to be different. Everything changes throughout the year. Setups are different, tires are different, track will age, and it’ll be a challenge for sure.”
—Chase Briscoe, Driver
Off-Track Camaraderie and Hobbies Among Competitors
The competitive world of NASCAR is fueled not only by racing but also by shared interests outside the car. Briscoe discussed how teammates like Denny Hamlin have developed passions such as fishing, adding a lighter, more human dimension to the intense world of Cup Series racing. These moments of camaraderie off the track are part of what shape the unique cultural fabric within the garage.
“I don’t know, but he’s all about it. He’s been fishing all the time. He has a boat, a tracker app now. I fish at almost every single race track in general and he’s always out there too. I don’t know when he became such a fishing addict. We were actually talking about it at JGR the other day and they said he went on a trip with his dad about a year ago and they went bass fishing, and they just loved it and fell in love with it again. Yeah, he’s all about it now and lives on the lake too, so he can fish off the dock as well.”
—Chase Briscoe, Driver
Racing Forward: The Road Ahead for Briscoe and Joe Gibbs Racing
Chase Briscoe enters the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs with an intensity and belief rooted in new opportunities and lessons learned from previous campaigns. With support from crew chief James Small and the robust Joe Gibbs Racing organization, he aims to translate strong race pace and improved execution into a championship run. Facing a challenging field that includes names like Denny Hamlin, William Byron, and Christopher Bell, Briscoe’s performance in the coming weeks will reveal if this renewed confidence and team structure can deliver the breakthrough season he envisions. The Cup Series playoffs promise high drama and intense battles, and Briscoe appears ready to fight for his place at the top.
