When you think of NASCAR greatness, Joe Gibbs Racing is never far from the conversation. With legends like Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch, and Denny Hamlin all building championship-caliber résumés under the JGR banner, the team’s legacy speaks for itself. It’s a place where raw talent meets top-tier engineering. And the pressure to deliver? Well, it is sky high from day one. Drivers don’t just race here; they’re expected to win.

But stepping into a JGR seat isn’t always a plug-and-play experience. Even the most promising talents can struggle to find their rhythm. Recently, one Cup Series driver who recently joined JGR opened up about just how steep the learning curve has been. He summed it all up with a revealing four-word verdict that offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to succeed at JGR.

Chase Briscoe and Joe Gibbs Racing find their rhythm after early struggles

When Chase Briscoe stepped into the No. 19 Toyota at Joe Gibbs Racing, many expected immediate results. But Briscoe himself now admits the transition wasn’t nearly as seamless as he had anticipated. “I thought it would be relatively plug and play,” Briscoe reflected on his early weeks with JGR. “But it took me, honestly, till Charlotte week to really have an understanding of what I could get away with this car.” That weekend in Charlotte marked a turning point. Briscoe earned his first top-3 finish of the season, finally showing glimpses of the potential many believed he had.

From that point on, the No. 19 team has looked increasingly dialed in. Just a few weeks later, Briscoe conquered Pocono with a gutsy fuel-saving drive, capturing his first win of the season. “Now it feels like second nature. It feels normal,” Briscoe said on the NASCAR Live podcast. Well, the pressure to get a win was immense. His teammates, Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin, had won three races each. Briscoe? He was still searching for his first before Pocono.

However, the pressure of delivering results was present right from the day he made his switch from Stewart-Haas Racing to Joe Gibbs Racing. “Literally, when I was doing my contract with JGR, I remember them showing me the stat thing about how out of 40 attempts for playoffs, they have made it 38 times. The expectation is if you don’t make the playoffs, you’re not going to be in this car anymore,” Chase Briscoe mentioned.

Well, much of Briscoe’s growth at Joe Gibbs Racing comes down to the evolving relationship with his crew chief James Small, who formerly led Martin Truex Jr. “It was a challenge and I feel like James and I have grown so much in the last three-four weeks,” Briscoe explained. Small has played a crucial part in helping Briscoe adapt to the JGR system and fine-tune the car to his preferences.

Looking ahead, Briscoe remains grounded yet optimistic. “We are finally getting to that sweet spot there. We still have a long way to go,” he acknowledged. But now, with a playoff spot secured, for the first time this year, that road forward doesn’t look so uncertain.

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James Small on adapting to Chase Briscoe’s wild style

For James Small, the road to Victory Lane with Chase Briscoe wasn’t smooth; it was humbling. After Martin Truex Jr.’s retirement, Small stepped into a new chapter as Briscoe’s crew chief. But as he admitted after their emotional Pocono win, “It’s been tough.” His voice cracked as he reflected, “I’m my harshest critic. If something goes wrong and I thought I could have done something better, I let it eat me… There’s been a little bit of a learning curve with Chase, just trying to understand all of that.”

Small’s adjustment wasn’t just about strategy. It was about adapting to a driver who pushes the limits. “Drive till he sees Jesus,” Small said of Briscoe’s fearless, high-risk style, on display at Pocono. It was a comment meant in awe, not sarcasm. That sheer aggression caught Small off guard at first. But, after Pocono, it’s become the defining trait they’ve grown to embrace as a duo.

The turning point? According to Small, it came within the last “five, six weeks,” when everything started to click at the Joe Gibbs Racing team. The communication got better. The setups got closer. Briscoe’s feedback became more precise, and Small learned when to reel him in or let him ride the ragged edge.

The last five-six results? Well, they speak for themselves. Briscoe finished 3rd in Charlotte, 7th in Mexico City, and finally won the top spot in Pocono. It’s a high-wire act, but Small believes in the talent. “If we can put a race together, it was the same with Martin; we’re capable of winning every race.”

For a team still finding its footing, Pocono was a breakthrough that validated their approach. As Small continues learning the rhythms of his new driver, it’s clear the respect goes both ways. In Briscoe’s all-gas style, Small’s found something familiar: A chance to win (and learn) every single week.