It was nothing less than an emotional farewell. Back in 2021, Chase Briscoe landed a ride in Tony Stewart’s team, a dream come true after couch surfing in North Carolina while chasing his NASCAR ambitions. His four-year stint was written in the stars until Stewart-Haas Racing unexpectedly closed shop at the end of the 2024 season. For the Indiana-native, it was the end of an era, and while a move to Joe Gibbs Racing offered a shot at the championship, saying goodbye to the team that gave him his Cup Series break was far from easy.

That might go on to explain why Briscoe couldn’t hold back his emotions when he sat in the car for the final time, reflecting on the end of that chapter.  Looking back on his first year with Joe Gibbs Racing, Chase Briscoe revisited the emotional farewell that marked his final race with SHR last year.

Chase Briscoe recalls tears in his final SHR race

Speaking to SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, the 30-year-old couldn’t help but get nostalgic. He said, “I remember literally firing up the engines on pit road for the race and crying my eyes out just because of the end of that chapter of my life, that it was just Stewart-Haas and what it meant to me, and just how I dreamed of just racing a Cup race. But then to drive the car that I was literally the biggest fan of, and just the relationships that I had built with Stewart-Haas, I mean, I’d been there for eight, nearly nine years.” 

Following a 29th-place finish at Phoenix, Briscoe took over Martin Truex Jr.’s seat at Joe Gibbs Racing, and his journey has been nothing short of remarkable since. Three wins, 15 top-five, and 19 top-10 finishes later, Briscoe now finds himself on the brink of a potential 1st Cup Series championship, something he believed would be near impossible. But nothing takes away from a team that helped you kick-start your Cup racing career.

He admitted, “And, the people on the #14 car were guys that came to family birthday parties and gender reveal parties, and I had such a bond with them, and I knew that chapter in my life was closing, that I would never work with those guys again, probably. And I just remember sitting there and like realizing that moment and it all hitting as it wants and yeah, just crying. And obviously, as soon as we kind of roll off pit road, all that went away.” Moving out of a comfortable place isn’t easy, but the 30-year-old has managed to turn things around for himself at Joe Gibbs Racing, and the uncertainty about joining a new team was finally put to rest.

Driving the No. 14 Ford Mustang for SHR must have felt like a dream. Throughout the 2024 season, Briscoe started all 36 races, securing one win by holding off Kyle Busch to win the Southern 500 and ending the season with three top-five and nine top-10 finishes. For a driver stepping into Martin Truex Jr’s boots, it’s fair to say that Briscoe lived up to the hype.

Briscoe’s shot at the title comes at the same Phoenix track where he claimed his 1st Cup Series victory in 2022, driving for Stewart-Haas Racing. A recent visit back to the track gives him a moment to reflect on how far his career has come and what’s now at stake. With the final two spots up for grabs this Sunday, Christopher Bell remains in contention for the championship. As Briscoe navigates the challenge of competing against his teammates while aiming for victory, he has set clear expectations for himself heading into the elimination round.

Chase Briscoe outlines goals for ‘No-Stress’ Martinsville race

Although Chase Briscoe has already secured his spot in Phoenix, this weekend’s race at Martinsville is far from a stress-free cruise. The NASCAR star understands he still has a job to do, not just for himself but for his teammate, Christopher Bell. Given the current point situation, a win by Briscoe or Denny Hamlin would all but guarantee Bell’s place in the Championship 4.

There is pride, pressure, and purpose on the line, and no driver wants to coast through 500 laps at Martinsville without fighting for something meaningful. The final four are set to be decided this weekend, and the tension is inevitable.

Briscoe said on the Dale Jr. Download podcast, “Truthfully, as a company, if me or Denny can go win the race, it essentially locks Bell in no matter what. So, yeah, our focus is trying to go there and win…So, yeah, for us it’s no different than any other week. The stress is off in a sense of the playoffs, but you know, you don’t want to go to Martinsville and run terrible and run 28th and then carry that into Phoenix. You want to go there and have a good run and kind of carry that momentum.”

For Briscoe, there is also added motivation: helping Joe Gibbs Racing put three cars in the Championship 4 and keeping Team Penske’s dominant duo, Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney, out of contention. After all, a finale dominated by Joe Gibbs’ Toyotas could dramatically tilt the odds in their favor. With all eyes set on Martinsville, Team Penske’s dominance in the Next-Gen era looks to be under a real threat.