“He’s the last one that has run at another organization and then come over… able to analyze how our cars drive versus what he had. That’s been a useful resource for us.” That endorsement from Denny Hamlin says it all. Chase Briscoe isn’t just a new driver at Joe Gibbs Racing; he is a catalyst. And even Dale Earnhardt Jr. has sounded the alarm, calling Briscoe “pretty dangerous” as he continues to climb to Cup Series relevance. Since his jump from Stewart-Haas Racing to JGR, it’s been a swift acceleration and an intense pressure cooker. Gone are the days when clinching a playoff berth was the goal; now, every lap counts, and expectations are sky high. Chase Brisco has finally broken his silence on the shift that he has felt between the two organizations.

When Stewart-Haas Racing announced its shutdown at the end of 2024, Briscoe was suddenly unleashed, and he pounced within hours of being declared a free agent; he was lining up messages to the team bosses, and JGR’s Dave Alpern was at the top of the list. Moving to Joe Gibbs Racing in 2025 wasn’t just a change of scenery; it was a full-throttle upgrade into elite machinery, stepping into Martin Truex Jr.’s No. 19 Toyota on a multi-year deal. And his past performance at SHR backs this move. He wasn’t just making up the numbers; he delivered 2 SHR Cup wins, 13 top fives, and 30 top 10s and led over 500 laps during his tenure there.

And now playing with Joe Gibbs Racing is like joining the Avengers of NASCAR, and Briscoe is smack dab in the middle of heroes. Teammates like Denny Hamlin, with four wins in 2025 already, and Christopher Bell, with three wins this season, are constantly on the podium, setting a blistering standard. And then the youngster, Ty Gibbs, still winless and not in the playoffs yet, but his speed and potential hang in the air like promise, pushing the team’s competitive DNA to new heights.

And as a newcomer at JGR, the pressure on Briscoe was real. Reflecting on the cultural shift he felt from SHR to JGR, Briscoe didn’t mince words. Speaking on DJD with Dale Jr., he said, “Just because, like I think I said this even before the season started, like if I don’t go and win at JGR, nobody’s ever going to hire me again. Yeah, so, like, and it’s, it’s weird just being in a totally different environment, like you were saying at SHR, like you know, I could win a race or two, but my teammates, you know, every now and then they would run up front, where at JGR your teammates are winning races all the time. So, like, just the atmosphere, I feel like you always have to be performing. So, I mean, yeah, I still don’t feel like I’ve made it, per se.”

But Chase Briscoe lit it up at Pocono, saving just enough fuel and fending off teammate Denny Hamlin in the master class of smart, fearless driving; his first win behind the wheel of the No. 19 Toyota punched his ticket into the playoffs. And 2025 is Briscoe’s best season yet. He has racked up a career high of one win, 10 top fives, 12 top tens, and six pole positions, all while scoring 319 laps led and averaging a 13.7 finish. He is riding the wave of momentum, and every stat here screams contender.

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver said, “But it has been very interesting just going to JGR and just the you know I almost feel like I’ve started my career over again, truthfully, like just the, the expectations at SHR and just going to the racetrack like it all felt so different than what I’m doing now. Like SHR and honestly felt like you were just going to the racetrack with your buddies, and like if you ran 25th, great, if you won great… you know, if you ran top 10 like I said, it was great, but if not what, like we just need to try to get better. There was never this like expectation of we should be winning races, where at JGR it was a huge culture shock.”

Briscoe is neck and neck with a surfboard on qualifying days on Saturdays. Back at Iowa Speedway, he snagged his sixth pole of the 2025 season, highlighting the growing chemistry between himself, his crew chief James Small, and the No. 19 Toyota. When the car clicks from the get-go, race day fights are a lot less punishing. And now, as he heads into round one of the playoff season, Chase Briscoe sounds off on his championship hunt. 

Chase Briscoe raises a green flag on winning the rounds within the playoffs

At the Cup Series Playoff media day, Chase Briscoe projected a new level of confidence, declaring that he is more prepared than ever as he begins the playoffs with Joe Gibbs Racing. The spotlight moment captured not just his presence at the event but also the shift in mindset that comes from joining one of the sport’s elite teams. Now behind the wheel of the No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry XSE, Briscoe described a major difference between his current outlook and past playoff experiences. In early seasons, simply making the playoffs felt like an accomplishment.

And now this year, he sees himself as a legitimate contender, crediting JGR’s resources, competitive culture, and proven track record. Looking ahead to the Southern 500, Briscoe contrasted his current position with last year’s high-pressure push to qualify in the final regular season race. Instead of a must-win or go-home scenario, his focus now is on consistent, strategic performances to advance through each three-race playoff round.

He said, “I feel like we need to go win it just to lock into the next round. It’s different your back’s up against the wall when it’s the last race of the regular season (in 2024) and you’re not going to race for a championship if you don’t win. But I feel like being in the Playoffs (this year), it’s the same feeling, like you have to go perform. You can’t go there and have a bad day, and especially in the Playoffs, it’s really three three-week seasons and that’s how you have to look at it. You have to run well three weeks in a row, three times and if you can do that, then you have a good shot at it.”

Now he hopes to replicate last year’s success at Darlington. Briscoe acknowledges the landscape has changed, from car setups to tire performance and track conditions. But with this newfound confidence, Briscoe looks unbeatable and unshakeable. All eyes will be on Briscoe to see him attempt to dominate the playoff season.