In the opening round of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, we’ve seen Chase Briscoe emerge as one of the biggest storylines. At Darlington Raceway, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver dominated the Southern 500. He led 309 of 367 laps en route to his second consecutive win at the Crown Jewel event. That victory guaranteed him a berth in the Round of 12. It also underscored the strength of both Briscoe and his crew chief, James Small. Since then, his performances have caught the eye of one of NASCAR’s most respected names.

Kenny Wallace was certainly watching when the series shifted to World Wide Technology Raceway for the Enjoy Illinois 300. On that day, Briscoe again delivered when it mattered. Denny Hamlin captured the win, but Briscoe qualified third and battled to a runner-up finish. This kept his postseason momentum alive. For a driver who entered the Playoffs with questions about his ability to rise in big moments, back-to-back podiums have quieted doubts. It also drew recognition from veteran voices in the sport, with Kenny Wallace in particular offering a memorable reaction. That reaction, however, went far beyond routine praise.

Wallace’s high praise for Chase Briscoe

On his Herm and Schrader podcast, Wallace and Kenny Schrader turned their attention to the No. 19 car in the aftermath of Gateway. Schrader asked, “How’s the 19 car working out for Briscoe?” prompting Wallace to bring up his notes on the race. Wallace emphasized that while Hamlin may have won, Briscoe’s second-place run made him the “star of this race.” Then came the line that stood out. “Chase Briscoe is, my god, wow,” Coming from a driver-turned-analyst known for his candor, the statement signaled more than admiration. It captured the feeling that Briscoe had risen to another level in the playoffs.

The moment was striking because Wallace has long been an outspoken figure in NASCAR media. For him to elevate Briscoe in such emphatic terms suggested that the driver’s recent performances carried a weight not just in standings, but in perception.

Briscoe’s consistency at Darlington and Gateway had validated Joe Gibbs Racing’s decision to put him in the No. 19 Toyota. This led to an assessment Wallace himself alluded to earlier when he said on social media, “Coach Joe Gibbs knows how to pick drivers at @JoeGibbsRacing.” That blend of podcast commentary and public endorsement gave Briscoe’s rise a legitimacy difficult to ignore, and it pointed toward a shifting narrative within the garage.

Wallace’s words also underscored how quickly momentum can reshape reputations in NASCAR. A year ago, Briscoe’s playoff run stalled early. This had raised questions about his ceiling. Now, with one of the sport’s most recognizable voices declaring him the star of back-to-back races, the conversation has shifted to how far he can go.

The Gateway finish reinforced that Darlington was not an outlier but part of a pattern. And if Briscoe continues to match Wallace’s faith, he could become the defining surprise of this year’s postseason. And Wallace is not the only veteran taking notice. Another seasoned voice has recognized the rising threat from Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Chase Briscoe and Denny Hamlin.

After Wallace, another veteran takes notice of JGR teammates Briscoe and Hamlin

As the NASCAR Cup Series enters its early Playoff rounds, Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Chase Briscoe and Denny Hamlin have turned heads. Not just with their finishes, but with how they’ve handled pressure. Briscoe’s dominant win at Darlington saw him lead 309 of 367 laps and sweep the first two stages. That was his ticket to the Round of 12. Meanwhile, Hamlin, even though he faced car issues at Darlington, still managed a top-10 finish. He then bounced back strong at Gateway to clinch the pole and seal the win. These performances have now caught the eye of one of NASCAR’s biggest names in history. 

Richard Petty’s comments on these two acknowledge not just results. They acknowledge execution and adaptability. “The King” noted that in both of those Playoff-round races, Briscoe and Hamlin “made the most of their chances” and “showed up to play the playoffs, and … showed up to win a championship.” He emphasized their ability to recover from setbacks.  All of this builds toward the idea that the top end of the field is sharpening, with Briscoe and Hamlin pushing the rest to raise their game.

In his remarks, Petty singled out how both drivers navigated challenges in the first two playoff events. He praised Hamlin for salvaging a good result at Darlington. The veteran managed this despite mechanical troubles and then turned around at Gateway to win.

Briscoe, on the other hand, “rallied to second place” at Gateway. He turned what might have been a merely solid outing into something that kept his championship hopes strong. Petty also pointed out that some teams had opportunities. Cautions, track position, errors by others. But what distinguished JGR’s Hamlin and Briscoe was their ability to exploit those moments intelligently, rather than being derailed.

Briscoe’s Darlington win already made clear he has speed. But Petty’s praise hints at something more: mental toughness. In races with adversity, such as handling issues or less-than-ideal restarts, Briscoe didn’t collapse. He continued, executed, and defended. Likewise, Hamlin’s experience showed strength to stay ahead of the elimination line. Petty’s point was simple. Success in the Playoffs is as much about surviving errors and capitalizing on small edges as it is about raw speed.