Chase Briscoe faced one of his toughest tests yet during the NASCAR Cup Series Round of 12 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway ROVAL, where he raced while battling illness. Despite feeling under the weather and contending with nausea throughout Sunday’s elimination race, Briscoe secured enough points for advancement, making the Chase Briscoe NASCAR playoffs narrative even more dramatic.
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver needed only to avoid catastrophic mistakes rather than chase a win, and his fourteenth-place finish ensured he cleared the cutline by nineteen points. Briscoe, piloting the Brass Pro Shop Tracker Toyota, qualified eighth but had to dig deep due to his physical state. He admitted the day was far from ideal but did just enough for playoff survival.
“It was definitely an odd day,”
said Briscoe, reflecting on his experience at the ROVAL.
“We weren’t that great in the first place. Yeah, I don’t know. They gave me a little pill at the beginning. I felt way better. I was just getting so dizzy at the beginning. I’ve kind of been fighting something all week. I sound terrible, I’m sure.”
– Chase Briscoe, Driver
As the demanding race progressed, there were moments when Briscoe regained some energy, but fatigue kept creeping back, especially late in the contest. He summed up his approach at the end of the day, stating,
“After the first 20 laps, I was able to kind of feel fine,”
he said.
“There at the end, I was struggling a little bit. But I was also cruising, trying not to make a mistake. Yeah, wasn’t a super-pretty day for our Brass Pro Shop Tracker Toyota. It was good enough. And that’s all we needed to do.”
– Chase Briscoe, Driver
Examining Briscoe’s Position Heading into the Round of 8
Looking to the Round of 8, Briscoe begins in the seventh spot among the remaining championship contenders. He trails leader Denny Hamlin by eighteen points in the refreshed standings and, while tied on points with Chase Elliott, loses out in seeding due to a tiebreaker. Both Briscoe and Elliott sit ten points ahead of last-seeded Joey Logano, the reigning champion, keeping Briscoe within striking distance of the next cut.
Briscoe’s confidence is rooted in the types of tracks awaiting him in the next round. The trio of circuits—Las Vegas, Talladega, and Martinsville—should play more to his strengths compared to the tricky layouts of New Hampshire, Kansas, and the ROVAL, where he finished tenth, fourth, and fourteenth, respectively. Earlier in the playoffs, Briscoe demonstrated his prowess by winning at Darlington, finishing second at Gateway, and placing ninth at Bristol, all during the more stable Round of 16.
Offering further insight, Briscoe said before leaving Charlotte,
“I feel really good about it. I thought this was going to be the one round that was going to be the biggest struggle for us. New Hampshire is not a great place for me. This place is chaotic as can be.”
– Chase Briscoe, Driver
“Next round, with the exception of Talladega, they’re kind of more traditional tracks.”
– Chase Briscoe, Driver
Pathway to the Championship 4 Remains Open
Briscoe, who has found Victory Lane twice already this season, aims for his first appearance in the Championship 4 since ascending to the Cup Series in 2021. While the challenge remains formidable, there is optimism, but he acknowledges that advancing may require nothing short of a win at one of these pivotal tracks.
“I feel like we have a path to get there,”
he said.
“More than likely, we will probably have to win. But you never know with the playoffs. We will see what we can do.”
– Chase Briscoe, Driver
Momentum, health, and track familiarity could determine how far Briscoe goes this postseason. With the playoff field narrowing and each event gaining intensity, every lap and tactical call will matter, especially as the Chase Briscoe NASCAR playoffs storyline continues to captivate fans and raise expectations for what comes next.
Things are heating up out there!@chasebriscoe makes it four-wide. 😳 pic.twitter.com/qC6NjBG1WR
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) October 5, 2025
— Chase Briscoe (@chasebriscoe) October 5, 2025
