The championship racing weekend is here! And the mile-long circuit at Phoenix Raceway was buzzing with tension as NASCAR’s Championship 4 contenders took to the track for practice. Every lap counted, and every adjustment may determine Sunday’s fate. Denny Hamlin appeared sharp, posting the quickest lap among title contenders in fifth place. William Byron and Kyle Larson were not far behind, fine-tuning their setups with quiet confidence, finishing ninth and eleventh, respectively.

But for Chase Briscoe, the session painted an entirely different story, as he finished last among championship contenders. His No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota was not cooperating, and while the stopwatch showed a concerning picture, Briscoe’s attitude remained unwavering. The numerals indicated “trouble.” His tone indicated otherwise. Because beneath the frustration of a sluggish practice run, the JGR driver carried something more powerful: belief that Sunday’s race could still turn his way.

Chase Briscoe is confident despite an alarming practice session

Chase Briscoe faced tire and vibration issues during the final practice at Phoenix Raceway, cutting his track time short and raising concerns ahead of the season finale, as he finished 16th overall. When asked about his issues, Briscoe was sad yet relieved that he wasn’t the only driver facing problems. “Yeah, I guess it’s a good thing that’s not just us, right? It’s unfortunate it’s happening, but yeah, at least we’re not on an island by ourselves,” he said.

Briscoe was referencing similar tire problems experienced by drivers like Denny Hamlin, Christopher Bell, Daniel Suarez, and Kyle Busch. They all suffered tire failures during the hour-long session. Chase Briscoe, himself, managed to complete only 24 laps and never ran 10 consecutive laps, limiting his practice opportunity due to his tire problems.

By contrast, Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, and William Byron logged 69, 65, and 64 laps, respectively, gaining more track time for setup and adjustment, and getting a better result than Briscoe. Despite the setback, Briscoe remains optimistic. “We get to work on it and see what we can do. Fortunately, it is one of those weekends where it is an hour-long practice and you can go change things…I’m sure that James (Small) and everybody on our Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Toyota will figure out what we can do to help manage that on Sunday,” he said, maintaining confidence in the team’s ability to resolve the issues before qualifying and the race.

James Small, Briscoe’s crew chief, wasn’t too concerned about the tire issue: “Too low on air. Too much on camber. Just too aggressive, I guess. You saw it with a number of cars out there,” he said. The forthcoming qualifying session will be critical for starting position, while Sunday’s 312-lap race on the one-mile flat oval will demand both speed and strategy.

Briscoe’s ability to adapt and overcome in the last hours of preparation may be critical to his title hopes. He had previously won at Phoenix (in a non-championship race), gaining his first career victory there in 2022 after starting sixth on the grid. And that memory could be just the spark he needs as he prepares for the biggest race of his life.

Chase Briscoe reflects on his Stewart-Haas Racing days

Chase Briscoe’s 2025 season is a significant breakout year, highlighted by his move from Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) to Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) and his maiden appearance in the NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4. Briscoe improved his abilities and earned tremendous experience over his five years in the top tier, including many race wins with SHR in 2022 and 2024. However, he never seriously competed for a championship until this season.

With SHR shutting shop in 2024, Chase Briscoe subsequently joined Joe Gibbs Racing in 2025. He quickly made an impact with three wins, including a crucial victory at Talladega that punched his ticket to the Championship 4 alongside veterans and favorites like Kyle Larson and Denny Hamlin. Reflecting on his development, Briscoe acknowledges that his years at SHR built a strong foundation, even as the team faced challenges, eventually leading to its NASCAR exit in 2024.

“I feel like the first four years of my career to now, truthfully, I’m glad that I had the four years of experience at SHR, just because I have Cup experience, I kind of know the ins-and-outs of Cup racing. I still had races where I competed for wins or won at SHR’s level. I feel like it would have been hard to step into this car year one of your Cup career and go perform,” Briscoe said.

Calling his move to JGR “the perfect storm,” Briscoe credited the combination of experience and opportunity for unlocking his potential. “I had a couple of years of Cup experience in somewhat competitive equipment,” he said. “Now I’ve got the chance to show what I’m capable of in top-tier gear.” And if you ask us, he certainly is doing that!

Chase Briscoe’s transition from SHR’s mid-pack battles to JGR’s championship hunt has silenced early doubts about whether he could rise to the occasion. As the 30-year-old heads into Phoenix, he’ll face off against the best. And maybe, just maybe, this could be the moment everything comes full circle.

Qualifying kicks off at 5 p.m. ET on Saturday, setting the stage for Sunday’s championship race at 3 p.m. ET. The weather looks ideal. Mostly sunny skies, a high of 88°F, and light east-southeast winds at 4 mph, perfect conditions for a high-stakes NASCAR showdown in Phoenix. Hopefully, Chase Briscoe and his team can iron out the issues in time and bring their perfect setup to the perfect finale.