The difference was only 0.682 seconds. Chase Briscoe breathed a sigh of relief after taking the checkered flag at Pocono Raceway. Hot on his heels was teammate Denny Hamlin, a seven-time Cup Series winner at the ‘Tricky Triangle’. Somehow, the No. 19 Toyota stretched the final drops of fuel in his race car to hold off the veteran, securing his third career victory in NASCAR’s top-tier series. While fans found it entertaining, Joe Gibbs was biting his nails.

The team owner looked on nervously as his drivers battled it out in the final laps, praying that they wouldn’t take each other out. Ultimately, it all worked out in the end, with the No. 19 securing its first victory since Martin Truex Jr’s triumph in 2023.

A nerve-racking ending at Pocono Raceway

“It was just so hard to have a guy chasing you, especially the guy that’s the greatest of all time here,” said Chase Briscoe about his teammate. Denny Hamlin has 57 Cup Series wins in his illustrious career, including three this year. Having won at Michigan, the 44-year-old was eager to get back to Victory Lane once again at one of his favorite tracks on the calendar. But despite his best efforts, the No. 11 fell victim to dirty air and struggled to close in towards the end of the race.

Watching the events unfold was Joe Gibbs on the sidelines, and he said in the post-race press conference, “The most nervous I get is when two of our cars are up front. It’s always been that. We’ve had some tough things happen, too. You always think about that. You worry about that.” The former NFL coach went on to say, “That’s where I get the most concerned, because just like we’re talking about. Denny wants it. His sponsor, his career, everything he’s racing for. And Chris Gayle over there. And the other side, you got James, you got Chase, you got our sponsors. And you’re just never sure.”

Denny Hamlin tried everything. Despite running the same car, the veteran racer struggled to close in the gap, and said after the race, “Every time I tried to stay really close to him [Briscoe], I would get really tight, and then it would let the 12 [Ryan Blaney] come back to me. So, at that point, I’m just trying to keep a little bit of an air gap there to allow my car to cool off and try to make another run at him.” Eventually, the 44-year-old realized that playing it safe and finishing runner-up would be a better outcome than risking a wreck, and settled for a second-place finish, much to Joe Gibbs’ relief.

As for Chase Briscoe, he led 72 laps at the ‘Tricky Triangle’ and maintained his lead for most of the final stage. It was a well-earned victory, especially with the No. 11 Toyota in his rearview mirror just waiting for the fuel to run out. While the ending might have been stressful for team owner Joe Gibbs, watching both his drivers secure a 1-2 finish at Pocono Raceway will be a positive sight. And with just a handful of races remaining before the playoffs begin, it looks like Joe Gibbs Racing is finding its rhythm at just the right time.

Trending

1

‘RIP’- NASCAR Radio Legend’s Sudden Demise Sends Shockwaves Across Racing Community

2

Brad Keselowski Shamed in Public by Carson Hocevar, Makes Grave Mistake at Pocono

3

Kyle Larson Publicly Refutes His GOAT Status After Weeks of Turmoil

4

‘R.I.P’- Joe Gibbs & Co. Left in Mourning as JGR Loses a Gem Ahead of Pocono

5

NASCAR Faces Shocking Fallout From Fans as Everyone Is Fuming Over Mexico Debacle

Briscoe dedicates his win to Joe Gibbs

Chase Briscoe felt a sense of relief more than elation after crossing the checkered flag at Pocono Raceway. Unlike Stewart-Haas Racing, the standards at Joe Gibbs Racing are much higher, which prompted him to say, “I’ve only won three races in the Cup Series, right? This is by far the least enjoyable, just because it’s expected now.” By securing the win, he became the third driver in the team to clinch a playoff spot, a timely result with just nine regular-season races remaining.

Afterwards, Briscoe gave credit where it was due, saying, “Joe Gibbs Racing took a big chance on me. I wasn’t everybody’s first choice. For me to be able to get here and finally deliver a win is just an awesome feeling.” He also went on to say, “To get Coach (Joe Gibbs) in victory lane after them taking a chance on me, it’s so rewarding truthfully. Just a big weight off my shoulders. I’ve been telling my wife the last two weeks, I have to win. To finally come here and do it, it has been a great day.”

With a spot in the Round of 16 assured, Chase Briscoe can rest easy going into Atlanta Motor Speedway. While his teammates have won three races each, the 30-year-old will be right with them later this year, challenging for the Bill France Cup. Even though he is not one of the favorites to lift the title, getting this triumph will give him some much-needed confidence for the remainder of the season. And who knows? He might just surprise all of us in the end.