“We are f—ed on fuel here, Chase. We’re just going to have to see how this goes and see if we can make it…Just be disciplined.” The alarm in the voice of James Small, the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing team crew chief, showcased how Chase Briscoe was in deep waters. Tackling the three-turn, multiple-corner Pocono Raceway is no joke, especially when you are up against a seven-time Pocono winner, Denny Hamlin. However, Briscoe was motivated enough for the sake of his new team.
Chase Briscoe delivers his expectations
At this time last year, the 30-year-old Indiana native was struggling. Chase Briscoe was part of the crumbling Stewart-Haas Racing team back then until Joe Gibbs roped him in after HSR was disbanded. So, no amount of fuel mileage issues, tricky turns, or even a determined teammate could stop him from delivering for Joe Gibbs Racing at Pocono. During the final 30 laps, Briscoe went all-out to save his fuel and made his final pit stop on lap 119 of 160. At the end of it all, Chase Briscoe stretched his fuel tank enough to score a 0.682-second victory over Pocono master Denny Hamlin!
Not only did he snuff out his crew chief’s concerns, but he also matched Joe Gibbs’ expectations of him. In the post-race interview, Briscoe let out his emotions while handing Denny Hamlin the 4-word GOAT tag: “I wasn’t driving hard, it’s not like I was on the ragged edge. But it was so hard to have a guy chasing you, especially the guy who is probably the greatest all the time here, and then you’re trying to save fuel and everything else…Joe Gibbs Racing took a big chance on me, right? I wasn’t everybody’s first choice, I think. But for me to be able to get here and finally deliver a win is just an awesome feeling.”
Big chances, big payoffs @chasebriscoe is a winner at Pocono! #NASCARonPrime pic.twitter.com/vpXcYCP9hT
— Sports on Prime (@SportsonPrime) June 22, 2025
Making Joe Gibbs happy is what endeared Chase Briscoe the most. As the fresh recruit into JGR, Briscoe had a chip on his shoulder – and he royally removed it in Pocono. Briscoe continued: “Yeah, it’s huge. I mean, I literally grew up racing my sprint car video game in a Joe Gibbs Racing Home Depot uniform. So yeah, to be able to get Coach in Victory Lane after them taking a chance on me is so rewarding, truthfully…It’s just such a big weight off my shoulders. I’ve been telling my wife the last two weeks, like, I have to win. To finally come here and do it, it’s been a great day.”
This jaw-dropping victory has surely left all JGR fans with a renewed sense of pride in Chase Briscoe.
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The post Chase Briscoe Defies All Odds To Stand True on JGR’s Gamble Amidst 4-Word Tribute to Denny Hamlin appeared first on EssentiallySports.
