2020 Season in Review: Chase Briscoe

By Chris EstradaDec 19, 2020, 8:00 AM EST

Chase Briscoe
CREW CHIEF: Richard Boswell
TEAM: Stewart-Haas Racing
POINTS: Fourth in Xfinity Series
WINS: Nine (Las Vegas I and II, Darlington, Miami II, Pocono, Indianapolis – Road Course, Dover II, Bristol II, Kansas II)
LAPS LED: 1,032
TOP 5s: 16
TOP 10s: 22
POLES: Four (Daytona II, Las Vegas II, Talladega II, Texas II)
WHAT WENT RIGHT: Briscoe enjoyed one of the most dominant seasons in the history of the NASCAR Xfinity Series. His nine race wins were the most ever by a Ford driver in the series and the second-most ever by a non-Cup Series competitor behind Sam Ard’s 10 wins in 1983. Three of those wins came during a four-race suspension for regular crew chief Richard Boswell (Stewart-Haas Racing competition director Greg Zipadelli filled in during Boswell’s absence).
Briscoe also earned perhaps NASCAR’s most emotional victory of 2020, when he held off future Hall of Famer Kyle Busch to win at Darlington. It came two days after he and his pregnant wife, Marissa, learned that they had lost their first child (the couple later endured a second miscarriage in the fall). After climbing out of the car and dropping to a knee in prayer, he said it was “the biggest day of my life after the toughest day of my life.”

MORE: Chase Briscoe talks with Mike Tirico about his poignant Darlington win (Lunch Talk Live – May 26)

WHAT WENT WRONG: A stellar year ended on a sour note in the Championship race at Phoenix. After winning the opening stage, Briscoe faded with a loose handling car that kept him from battling the other title contenders. With two laps to go, he spun out to send the race into overtime and ended up finishing ninth – last among the Championship 4.

“Anytime you can win nine races and finish fourth in the championship – it isn’t what you wanted,” Briscoe said in post-race. “But we’ll keep our heads high, because I’m just proud of the whole team. To be able to work with me these last two-and-a-half years from where we started to where we are now has made a huge difference.”

WHAT TO EXPECT IN 2021: Briscoe will move up to the NASCAR Cup Series and take over the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford. He replaces Clint Bowyer, who will transition to a broadcasting role for Fox Sports. On Tuesday, Briscoe said in a video teleconference that John Klausmeier will be his crew chief in 2021, but that his spotter was still to be determined.

Justin Haley replaces Kyle Busch in Kaulig car for Xfinity race

By Mike HembreeMay 29, 2023, 7:54 AM EDT

Justin Haley will drive Kaulig Racing’s No. 10 car in Monday morning’s scheduled NASCAR Xfinity Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Haley replaces Cup Series regular Kyle Busch, who was scheduled to drive for Kaulig in the 300-miler. The race was postponed from Saturday to Monday because of weather, giving NASCAR a 900-mile doubleheader at the track.

Busch decided to concentrate on the Coca-Cola 600 Cup race, scheduled for a 3 p.m. start.

Haley also will race in the 600.

Ty Gibbs is scheduled to run in both races.

Charlotte Cup race postponed to Monday by weather

By Mike HembreeMay 28, 2023, 6:21 PM EDT

CONCORD, N.C. — All-day rain Sunday forced the postponement of the Coca-Cola 600 NASCAR Cup Series race to Monday.

The postponement means that Charlotte Motor Speedway is scheduled to host 900 miles of stock car racing Monday. A 300-mile Xfinity Series race, originally scheduled Saturday and first postponed to noon Monday, has been rescheduled for 11 a.m. ET Monday (FS1, Performance Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). The Cup race is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. (Fox, Performance Racing Network, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Sunday’s Cup race was scheduled to start at 6:21 p.m. ET, but light rain was still falling at that time in the speedway area near Charlotte. Rain intensified a few minutes later and, despite an evening forecast that showed slight improvement, officials decided at 6:30 p.m. to postpone the race.

Monday’s forecast calls for a 34% chance of rain at the start of the Xfinity race and a 30% chance at the start of the Cup race.

William Byron will start the race from the pole after qualifying was washed out Saturday night.

RFK Racing gains sponsorship from submarine recruiting group

By Mike HembreeMay 28, 2023, 3:30 PM EDT

CONCORD, N.C. — NASCAR racing and submarines? Yes.

RFK Racing announced Sunday at Charlotte Motor Speedway that it has entered a partnership with BlueForge Alliance, which is involved in securing workers for the U.S. Navy’s Submarine Industrial Base (SIB) program. BuildSubmarines.com will be a primary sponsor for RFK drivers Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher in 10 Cup Series races this year and in 18 races per season beginning in 2024.

The sponsorship will showcase the careers related to the submarine-building program across the nation.

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“I’m proud to support a cause of such vital significance to our country with this new partnership,” Keselowski said. “The synergies between a NASCAR team and our military’s needs to stay on track fast are countless. We hope to inspire the workforce of the next generation across the country when they see RFK race and hear our message.”

The sponsorship will support the mission to recruit, hire, train, develop and retain the SIB workforce that will build the Navy’s next generation of submarines, the team said.

“We are excited and grateful to be teaming with RFK Racing to drive awareness of the thousands of steady, well-paying manufacturing jobs available across the nation. Innovation, working with purpose and service to others are hallmarks of both of our organizations,” said Kiley Wren, BlueForge chief executive. “Together, we aim to inspire NASCAR fans and all Americans to pursue career opportunities that will support our national defense.”

Kyle Larson visits Indianapolis Motor Speedway to survey the scene

By Mike HembreeMay 28, 2023, 3:02 PM EDT

Former NASCAR champion Kyle Larson, who is scheduled to run the Indianapolis 500 in 2024 as part of an Indy-Charlotte “double,” visited the Indianapolis Motor Speedway garage area Sunday on Indianapolis 500 race day.

Larson said he wanted to familiarize himself with the Indy race-day landscape before he becomes immersed in the process next year.

MORE: Jimmie Johnson is building a team and pointing to Le Mans

Larson later returned to Charlotte, where was scheduled to drive in the Coca-Cola 600 Sunday night. Next year, he’s scheduled to run both races.

“I love racing,” Larson told NBC Sports. “I love competing in the biggest races. In my opinion, this is the biggest race in the world. I wanted to be a part of it for a long time, and I finally feel like the timing is right. It’s pretty cool to have a dream come true.

“I wanted to come here and kind of experience it again and get to experience how crazy it is again before I’m in the middle of it next year. I kind of want as little surprise as possible next year.”

In the 2024 500, Larson will be one of four drivers with the Arrow McLaren team.

Earlier this month, Larson and Hendrick Motorsports vice chairman Jeff Gordon attended an Indy 500 practice day.

Larson said Sunday he hasn’t tested an Indy car.

“I don’t know exactly when I’ll get in the car,” he said. “I’ve had no sim (simulator) time yet. I’ve kind of stayed back. I didn’t want to ask too many questions and take any focus on what they have going on for these couple of weeks. I’m sure that will pick up after today.

“I look forward to the challenge. No matter how this experience goes, I’m going to come out of it a better race car driver.”

MORE: Chase Briscoe talks with Mike Tirico about his poignant Darlington win (Lunch Talk Live – May 26)

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