Chase Briscoe recognizes potential playoff exit despite entering as one of the firm favorites to win the NASCAR title

Chase Briscoe may be among the favorites to win the NASCAR Cup Series championship, but he doesn't rule out a possible elimination. His goal at the Charlotte Roval this weekend is to beat Joey Logano and Ross Chastain—the drivers below him in the playoff standings.

Driving the #11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, Briscoe is currently seventh among playoff drivers with a 21-point cushion above the cutline. Logano is 13 points clear of the cutline, while Chastain is only 13 points below it. The latter is expected to have a decent race as he capitalizes on the road course prowess of teammate Shane van Gisbergen, who won four of the five non-oval races so far this year.

The strategy for the #21 team is to stay ahead of Logano and Chastain in every stage, a goal that could hinge on critical pit decisions. Briscoe noted that his 21-point buffer, earned by being the only playoff driver to finish in the top 10 in all postseason races so far, should make the task a little easier.

In a report by Jayski's, the 30-year-old Indiana native said:

“I think this weekend, we’re obviously really just racing the 22 (Logano) and the 1 (Chastain) [...] If we can just go and outrun them in both stages and the race, then we’ll move on no matter what.”

“But it’s obviously not that easy either. It’s tough knowing that we’ve been as good as we have, and there’s the potential to be knocked out,” he added.

Chase Briscoe drives the #19 Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing - Source: Imagn

Despite being in his first year with Joe Gibbs Racing, Chase Briscoe has quickly found his footing in the #19 Toyota. He has already outscored teammate Ty Gibbs with two victories while remaining competitive alongside team veterans Denny Hamlin and Christopher Bell. Moreover, he has collected 13 top-five finishes and 17 top-10s.

His season has been strong enough to mark him as a title contender, though everything now hinges on whether the former Stewart-Haas Racing driver advances past the Charlotte Roval. The Bank of America Roval 400 is set on Sunday at 3:00 p.m. ET.

---

“We want to prove we belong”: Chase Briscoe on first season at Joe Gibbs Racing

Stepping into a high-profile seat at Joe Gibbs Racing, Chase Briscoe felt the weight of expectation as he teamed up with crew chief James Small. Together, the pair set out to silence doubters and prove they belong at the top level of the sport.

The #19 Toyota driver said (via ESPN):

“We both had, I felt like, a lot of people doubting us... ‘Why are they in that role?’ James got a lot of flak for how he and [Truex] would go back and forth [on the radio], and now, knowing James, I've never met someone more competitive and more determined to win and willing to do what it takes to win.”

“It's been good because we both kind of have that chip on our shoulder; we want to prove we belong.”

Chase Briscoe replaced 2017 NASCAR champion Martin Truex Jr., placing added pressure on James Small to keep the #19 Toyota competitive. Before joining Joe Gibbs Racing, Briscoe spent four seasons at Stewart-Haas Racing, which ceased operations at the end of 2024.