It’s no secret that Reddit plays a major part in every die-hard NASCAR fan’s life. From discussing the weekend’s on-track shenanigans to heavily debating the silly season, Redditors are some of motorsport’s most insightful and knowledgeable fans. That being said, it’s not just fans who love to visit r/NASCAR to get up to speed with the sport.

For nearly five years, Chase Briscoe has occasionally popped up as the author of a post on the platform. Whether it’s sharing highlights from his favorite races or updates on his motorsport journey, Briscoe has connected with the NASCAR Reddit community unlike any other driver.

That being said, the soon-to-be Joe Gibbs Racing driver had no option but to leave his fellow Redditors in the dark regarding his future. Fortunately for the community, Christopher Bell’s blunder meant Briscoe had no reason to continue with his radio silence on Reddit.

How did a text message from an unknown number end Chase Briscoe’s insecurities for next season?

When Tony Stewart decided to call it quits on the Cup Series, Chase Briscoe was among the four drivers left without a guaranteed seat for 2024. Naturally, the 29-year-old called up as many affiliates in Cup racing as he could, eventually reaching the message box of Joe Gibbs Racing president Dave Alpern. After sharing with the president that SHR was indeed closing shop, Briscoe made a case for himself over breakfast that very week.

The soon-to-be JGR driver shared with NASCAR, “I didn’t hear anything from (JGR) them on Friday, and then Saturday morning, at like 9 or something in the morning, I had like a text message, and it said, “Hey, give me a call when you can, Joe.” And I didn’t have the number saved, I had no idea who it was. I was like, this ain’t Joe Gibbs, no way.”

To Briscoe’s surprise, it was indeed Coach Gibbs. The SHR driver double-checked the contact with Christopher Bell, who reaffirmed that Briscoe had made it to a favorable position with Joe Gibbs.

The Mitchell native further stated, “So then I talked to Joe, it was a super quick phone call, less than four or five minutes. We just talked. He got to know me, I got to know him. At the end of it, he said, “We don’t know what’s going on with Martin. We talked to him and we’re still trying to figure that out but we should have answers in a couple of days. We’ll just keep you in touch.”

Fortunately for Chase Briscoe, that unknown number was just the one he needed to get a text from. With Wood Brothers Racing also eager to chase down the 29-year-old, Coach Gibbs had made his move. So now that Briscoe’s future for 2025 is secure, the avid Redditor could finally break his silence!

Taking to the platform, Briscoe shared a post that contained a screenshot of a text from Joe Gibbs. With his soon-to-be bosses’ number now saved, the Mitchell native couldn’t help but finally share his excitement with his fellow Redditors.

The Reddit community accepts Briscoe as their own amidst an exciting future

With over 50k post karma and 245k comment karma, Chase Briscoe has more time on Reddit than even the most enthusiastic of fans. From the days when he would share insights into his journey with Late Models to debating other Redditors over NASCAR’s decisions, Briscoe has shared every part of his journey with the Reddit community. Unfortunately, his discussions with JGR needed to be hidden until confirmation was received.

While this made many fans feel left out, once the screenshot from Briscoe surfaced on Reddit, all bygones were forgotten. One user complimented their fellow Redditor, “You finally shared the text with us! You really are one of us. Congrats, Chase!” whereas another added; “Chase, you really are one of us Redditors. Congratulations, buddy!! Go drive it like you stole it.” 

For many users, Chase Briscoe finally getting a shot with a dominant front-running team was nothing short of deserving. At the same time, users also commended the SHR driver for carrying the burden of his future alone; “Having to metaphorically “bite your tongue” here on Reddit and elsewhere on Social Media must have been torturous. Glad that weight is off your shoulders!”

But that wasn’t all. Through the years, Briscoe had managed to develop real friendships with a lot of Redditors. From asking them about online gaming to sim racing, many considered Briscoe a friend. “Thank you for being our friend Chase! All the best to you brother!”

Redditors who had met Briscoe during driver appearances at NHMS also took to Reddit and shared; “Great to meet you today. It’s going to be a fun ride on and off the track!”. That being said, the entire Reddit community wished only one thing for Briscoe’s future; championship success. A user concluded, “Congrats brother!! Keep proving why you’re championship material. We all believe in you!”