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Chase Briscoe reacts to big win at Talladega to advance to Championship 4

ProfilePhotoby: Nick Geddes18 hours agoNickGeddesNews
Chase Briscoe
Kylie Graham-Imagn Images

Denny Hamlin has company in the Championship 4. Chase Briscoe, his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, will race for a NASCAR Cup Series championship next month at Phoenix Raceway after taking the checkered flag in Sunday’s Round of 8 playoff race at Talladega Superspeedway.

Briscoe held off Todd Gilliland to win, thanks to some help behind him from JGR teammate Ty Gibbs. Briscoe had never won a superspeedway race before Sunday, and the emotion of that and advancing to the Championship 4 hit him when he stepped out of his No. 19 Toyota.

“Ty Gibbs, just incredible teammate there. I honestly would not have won that race without Ty. Just an amazing team effort,” Briscoe told Marty Snider of NBC Sports. “I can’t believe I won a superspeedway race, I haven’t done it at any level. Thank you, guys, so much, every time we come to Talladega this place is sold out. Unbelievable atmosphere, I cannot believe I won here. Johnny Morris is here with Bass Pro Shops and yeah, it’s not hit me, we’re going to Phoenix.”

Chase Briscoe will race for a championship at Phoenix

Briscoe is, in fact, going to Phoenix with the goal to win both the race and the championship. When the season began, that hardly seemed like a possibility. No, not because it wasn’t known that Briscoe is a talented race car driver, but rather his inconsistent track record in Cup and the big shoes he was replacing at JGR.

Martin Truex Jr. retired after the 2024 season. Joe Gibbs made a bold move in hiring the relatively unproven Briscoe to sit behind the wheel of one of the premier rides in the sport. That decision has proved to be a winner. Briscoe has three victories this season, more than he had in his previous four seasons in Cup.

“Yeah, absolutely [this is a dream come true],” Briscoe said. “So thankful that the Lord has blessed me opening doors and even closing doors at times. But certainly, he opened an incredible door for me here at Joe Gibbs Racing.

“Today, I had such a peace. I’m scared to death, a nervous wreck around this place, but I just had such a peace that regardless of the finish, he was gonna use it somehow for his glory, and it’s pretty cool that it ends up in Victory Lane.”