Joe Gibbs Racing driver Chase Briscoe is in good form, fresh off consecutive second-place finishes in the NASCAR Cup Series (including last Sunday in Dover).
In 2020, Briscoe was still racing for Stewart-Hass and was in the middle of one of the more impressive Xfinity Series seasons ever. Despite finishing fourth after a shaky playoff showing, the 30-year-old finished the year with nine wins.
One of them came at Dover, a tricky track, in the 2020 Drydene 200. COVID-19 caused the doubleheader race to be delayed a day and forced to be run back-to-back on Saturday and Sunday. Despite the circumstances (and a tricky first race), Briscoe told his wife: “I’m going to win tomorrow.”
“I felt like I had the best car, and I got under somebody off of two and spun myself out,” Briscoe said on a recent spot on NASCAR Radio Interviews on SiriusXM Radio.” I just remember being so mad at myself that I’d even put myself in that position knowing how fast my car was.
“We went to a backup car the next day, and I just remember telling my wife, I said, ‘I’m gonna win tomorrow. I’m telling you, my car is so good.’”
Fellow JGR driver Denny Hamlin narrowly pipped Briscoe to the win on Sunday. “I thought I did everything I needed to. I thought I had him there for a second,” the 30-year-old said post-race.
“I wish the Camry, the back, was about three inches shorter,” Briscoe continued. I was so close to clearing him. I just couldn’t do it. Obviously, racing a teammate, I wanted to make sure at least a JGR car won.”