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Chase Briscoe watches Cup Series practice.
Another good top-five finish at Kansas Speedway by Chase Briscoe was not a given, as the Hollywood Casino 400 was a struggle. The race was full of wild restarts, reversing expectancies, and an incident late in the race that would cost him a true shot to win.
Chase Briscoe acknowledged later that although he was proud that the team put in effort, that afternoon, he was wondering about the kind of split-second decisions that would have decided the result. He will have Charlotte and the Roval in sight, and he realizes that his playoff is anything but secure.
Restarts Decide the Race
Chase Briscoe described just how tricky the race was from behind the wheel. “It was tough,” he said. “I’ve never really been in a situation like that, where I needed really anybody but Bubba to win in that situation, but I wanted to still put it in a position where I could still win the race, too.
“It was just tough with those restarts. They’re so circumstantial. One thing goes your way, and you can end up winning the race. One bad thing goes your way, and you end up running fifth to seventh. Just crazy, the runs and how fast they develop.”
There was opportunity and frustration brought about by the uncertainty about a restart. Biscoe was on the one hand keeping himself in the game, but on the other, he was injuring his own side through one misstep, when a contact was wanting that would place him in front.
Chase Briscoe Keeps Playoff Push Alive
At one point, Chase Briscoe believed he was still in position to win. “I thought I was going to, honestly, still have a really good shot to win the race,” he explained. “And when Bell got in the fence off of four, I had to all but stop, and it just ruined my momentum.”
Still, the result wasn’t all disappointment. “Scrappy day for our Toyota,” he said. “Would have loved to be obviously a little bit better today. Crazy, I think we’re averaging a top-five finish in the playoffs, and we’re only 20 points above. Never feel safe at the Roval, but go there and try to do our job. Our road course stuff is pretty good there. See what we can do.”
Consistency has kept Chase Briscoe afloat, but he knows points can vanish quickly. That’s why every lap at the upcoming Roval matters.
The Roval Looms as Chase Briscoe’s Playoff Decider
The Roval has historically been one of the most unpredictable tracks in the NASCAR playoffs, and Briscoe knows it could be pivotal. He recalled one of his late-race choices at Kansas as a perfect example of how slim the margins are.
“That second-to-last restart, I had a huge run out of the back straightaway, and I thought I could clear, potentially. So I tried to make it three wide, but looking back on it, maybe it would have been better to hit the 20 as hard as I could and try to get him to the lead. But it is so crazy on those restarts. You’re making split-second decisions. One variable can change, and what you thought was the right move is the wrong move.”
Kansas may have ended in fourth place, but Briscoe knows the Roval could make or break his playoff run. “Crazy race,” he said. “I’m sure it was fun to watch and go on to the next one.”
Dogli Wilberforce is a sports writer who covers NASCAR, Formula 1 and IndyCar Series for Heavy Sports. With bylines at Total Apex Sports and Last Word on Sports, Wilberforce has built a reputation for delivering timely, engaging coverage that blends sharp analysis with accessible storytelling. Wilberforce has covered everything from major football transfers to fight-night drama, bringing readers the insight and context behind the headlines. More about Dogli Wilberforce
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