Subscribe

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe

NASCAR Phoenix: Chase Briscoe surprises with first Cup win

There’s no sophomore slump for Chase Briscoe as he won his first NASCAR Cup race Sunday in a three-lap shootout to the finish.

Watch: Chase Briscoe aces final restart to earn first win at Phoenix

Briscoe, who struggled through his rookie year with Stewart-Haas Racing last season, powered to the lead on a restart with three of the 312-lap race remaining at Phoenix Raceway and held off Ross Chastain by 0.771 seconds to take his first win in 40 career starts.

At the end of the race, the top three drivers – Briscoe, Chastain and Tyler Reddick – were all looking for their first career wins.

“That's unbelievable. I was crying the whole last lap,” Briscoe said. “I mean, this is definitely a team win. I got to thank everyone that has gotten me to this point. Seven years ago, I was sleeping on a couch, ready to give up. They gave me an opportunity and it’s led to this.

“So blessed to be driving at the organization, the team, the car that was my hero [Tony Stewart] growing up. To get this #14 back in victory lane, to do it with Mahindra Tractors, their first year in the sport, everybody that’s believed in me – it’s unbelievable.”

Told he looked a lot like Stewart on the track Sunday, Briscoe said, “Yeah, those restarts, I mean, we were sliding, everything else. I hope the race fans enjoyed the race. It was unbelievable from my point.

“So thankful to have [fans] back. Without you guys, we don’t have a sport, don’t get to race, do what we do for a living. I wish my wife and baby was here. Definitely special and one that’s going to be remembered forever.”

Race winner Chase Briscoe, Stewart Haas Racing, Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang in victory lane

Race winner Chase Briscoe, Stewart Haas Racing, Mahindra Tractors Ford Mustang in victory lane

Photo by: Jasen Vinlove / NKP / Motorsport Images

Blaney had dominated much of the race and led 143 laps but it was Briscoe’s #14 Ford team that got him off pitroad first in the final two pitstops of the race and allowed him to control the restarts.

Reddick ended up third, Blaney was fourth and Kurt Busch rallied to round out the top five.

Briscoe's Stewart-Haas team-mate Kevin Harvick grabbed sixth place for his best finish of the season, ahead of Kyle Busch with championshipl leader on points Joey Logano taking eighth place for Team Penske.

Trackhouse Racing's Daniel Suarez ended up ninth with Chris Buescher completing the top 10 for the RFK Racing squad.

2021 NASCAR Cup champion Kyle Larson was forced to pit with 73 laps to go, with what appeared to be engine issues with his #5 Chevrolet that meant failed to finish for Hendricks Motorsports.

NASCAR Phoenix - race results

Cla Driver Manufacturer Laps Gap
1 United States Chase Briscoe Ford 312  
2 United States Ross Chastain Chevrolet 312 0.771
3 United States Tyler Reddick Chevrolet 312 0.787
4 United States Ryan Blaney Ford 312 1.499
5 United States Kurt Busch Toyota 312 1.523
6 United States Kevin Harvick Ford 312 1.903
7 United States Kyle Busch Toyota 312 2.149
8 United States Joey Logano Ford 312 2.390
9 Mexico Daniel Suarez Chevrolet 312 2.735
10 United States Chris Buescher Ford 312 2.897
11 United States Chase Elliott Chevrolet 312 2.915
12 United States Aric Almirola Ford 312 2.917
13 United States Denny Hamlin Toyota 312 3.039
14 United States Alex Bowman Chevrolet 312 3.205
15 United States Ty Dillon Chevrolet 312 3.232
16 United States Cole Custer Ford 312 3.331
17 United States Justin Haley Chevrolet 312 3.574
18 United States William Byron Chevrolet 312 3.875
19 United States Todd Gilliland Ford 312 4.182
20 United States A.J. Allmendinger Chevrolet 312 4.417
21 United States Austin Dillon Chevrolet 311 1 Lap
22 United States Bubba Wallace Toyota 311 1 Lap
23 United States Brad Keselowski Ford 311 1 Lap
24 United States Austin Cindric Ford 311 1 Lap
25 United States Erik Jones Chevrolet 311 1 Lap
26 United States Christopher Bell Toyota 310 2 Laps
27 United States Michael McDowell Ford 310 2 Laps
28 United States Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Chevrolet 310 2 Laps
29 United States Harrison Burton Ford 309 3 Laps
30 United States Landon Cassill Chevrolet 308 4 Laps
31 United States Cody Ware Ford 307 5 Laps
32 United States Garrett Smithley Ford 305 7 Laps
33 United States B.J. McLeod Ford 304 8 Laps
34 United States Kyle Larson Chevrolet 239 73 Laps
35 United States Martin Truex Jr. Toyota 219 93 Laps
36 United States Corey Lajoie Chevrolet 45 267 Laps

Be part of the Autosport community

Join the conversation

Related video

Previous article NASCAR Las Vegas: Bowman wins dramatic two-lap shootout
Next article NASCAR Richmond: Clever tyre strategy earns Denny Hamlin win

Top Comments

There are no comments at the moment. Would you like to write one?

Sign up for free

  • Get quick access to your favorite articles

  • Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers

  • Make your voice heard with article commenting.

Autosport Plus

Discover premium content
Subscribe