Former Cup driver reveals his ‘favorite’ pick to win NASCAR championship after Chase Briscoe’s Talladega thriller

Corey LaJoie has named Chase Briscoe as a frontrunner for the Cup Series title. The verdict comes after Briscoe's final-lap dash at Talladega Superspeedway

The No.19 driver has made it count in his first year with a race-winning team. Briscoe had big shoes to fill as Martin Truex Jr.'s replacement, but the Hoosier native has built a compelling case for himself.

Right out the gate, Briscoe showed potential. He grabbed a pole start in the Daytona 500, a feat he would replicate six more times this season. Moreover, he's had a stellar playoff run with an average finish of 5.6 across eight races, while his worst finish is a 14th-place result at Charlotte Roval.

With two of his three wins coming from the postseason, Briscoe's odds look a lot more favourable than his competition. LaJoie added to the notion with an X post that read,

"Chase Briscoe is the championship favorite."

Corey LaJoie

@CoreyLaJoie

Chase Briscoe is the championship favorite.

During the Yellawood 500, Chase Briscoe was slapped with a penalty after speeding on pit road, but the JGR driver overcame the setback and won a stage as well.

Briscoe also has the third-most top-5s of any other driver this season. With 15 top-5s and 19 top-10s, the 30-year-old has proven his mettle consistently.

However, he's now pitted against JGR ace Denny Hamlin, the winningest driver this season. The two will have one more stop at Martinsville before fighting for the title at Phoenix Raceway.

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Chase Briscoe credits Ty Gibbs for Talladega win

Ty Gibbs gave Chase Briscoe the winning push at the end. Briscoe was battling Bubba Wallace after Kyle Larson dropped off the inside lane and allowed him to take control. Gibbs slotted into Briscoe's draft and pushed him till the checkered flag.

NASCAR reporter Steven Taranto shared an excerpt from Briscoe's post-race press conference, where the JGR driver owed it all to Gibbs' efforts.

"I don't know really what happened there on the bottom lane," he said, "but was able to push Bubba out far enough, then was able to make a move, and the 54 came with me."

"[Ty Gibbs] was the whole reason I won the race. He was extremely committed from the get-go, really did a good job of keeping up tight so to Bubba so I could keep pushing him along. And then when I made my move, he went with me, selfless in the fact of going for his first win, easily tried something different, pushed me, incredible team effort. Can't thank Ty [Gibbs] enough," he added.

Chase Briscoe's crew chief, James Small, weighed in on the achievement and shared how he always had faith in the No.19 team. The Talladega win also marks Small's first-ever triumph on a Superspeedway.