Chase Briscoe\u2019s new NASCAR Cup address this year has paid significant dividends already. After four years with the now-defunct Stewart Haas Racing, Briscoe moved to Joe Gibbs Racing this season, replacing the now-retired Martin Truex Jr. in the No. 19 Toyota.<\/p>\n
The move has been not only a welcome change for the Mitchell, Indiana native, he\u2019s also enjoying his best season ever in Cup. And there\u2019s still 10 races left for him to add to those career-high stats.<\/p>\n
Entering this weekend\u2019s Cup Series playoff opener at Darlington Raceway, Briscoe has one win (Pocono), along with career single-season highs in top-fives (10) and top-10s (12), along with pole positions (6, including the season-opening Daytona 500).<\/p>\n
\u201cI was telling my wife, this is really the first time I have legitimately thought I could win a Cup championship,\u201d Briscoe said during the NASCAR Playoffs Media Day.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the past I could make the playoffs, and that was exciting, but down deep you kind of know the odds of you winning are pretty slim.\u201d<\/p>\n
Indeed, in his first four full-time seasons in the Cup Series, Briscoe made the playoffs twice, finishing a career-best ninth in 2022 and 14th in 2024.<\/p>\n
But with strong teammates Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell joining Briscoe in the playoffs, he\u2019s never been more optimistic about his chances in the playoffs.<\/p>\n
In fact, although he doesn\u2019t want to jinx his chances, Briscoe<\/a><\/strong> feels like he has his first legitimate chance at reaching the Championship 4 final round, and potentially stealing the championship away from his rivals.<\/p>\n \u201cNow, not to say I\u2019m the favorite by any means, but I feel like I have a legitimate chance to go do it,\u201d Briscoe said<\/a><\/strong>. \u201cIt definitely feels different this time around just knowing you have a shot. I would say this playoffs just feels different because of that.\u201d<\/p>\n Admittedly, Briscoe has to get past the other 15 playoff contenders. Not only does he have to worry about all four drivers at Hendrick Motorsports and all three Team Penske drivers, but he also has to both work with and try to beat his two JGR<\/a><\/strong> teammates, Hamlin and Bell.<\/p>\n There\u2019s also 23XI Racing\u2019s Bubba Wallace and Tyler Reddick, Trackhouse Racing\u2019s Shane van Gisbergen and Ross Chastain, Richard Childress Racing\u2019s Austin Dillon and Wood Brothers Racing\u2019s Josh Berry.<\/p>\n