Chase Briscoe Scores Coveted Hometown Victory

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In: Xfinity Series News

Race Winner:  Chase Briscoe of Stewart-Haas Racing (Ford)

Stage 1 Winner:  Austin Cindric of Team Penske (Ford)

Stage 2 Winner:  Chase Briscoe of Stewart-Haas Racing (Ford)

 

Overview:

Chase Briscoe went yard Saturday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, fulfilling a childhood dream by winning the Brickyard 150 NASCAR Xfinity Series race on the 2.439-mile, 14-turn road course. The 25-year-old racer from Mitchell, Indiana, started 12th in the 38-car field and took the lead for the first time on lap 24, eventually leading five times for a race-high 30 laps. But leading the final two laps took considerable effort, as Briscoe had to battle road-course ace A.J. Allmendinger in the final seven tours around the track. Allmendinger took the lead from Briscoe on lap 59 and jettisoned him to third after the Stewart-Haas Racing pilot overdrove a corner. But Briscoe buckled down and set his sights on regaining the lead, reasserting his position at the front of the field with a powerful drive past second-place Austin Cindric and leader Allmendinger on the penultimate lap. Briscoe deftly wheeled his No. 98 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang around the serpentine layout inside the hallowed grounds of the Brickyard, pulling out a 1.717-second margin of victory over runner-up Justin Haley. It was Briscoe’s series-leading fifth win of the season and the first time he has scored back-to-back victories, as Briscoe won last weekend at Pocono (Pa.) Raceway. It also extended Briscoe’s lead in the championship standings to 21 points over his nearest pursuer, Noah Gragson. 

 

Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 98 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas Racing:  

“We are really rolling right now. Today is a statement win. I don’t think anybody had us as a favorite today with Allmendinger and Cindric in the field, but we knew down deep we could run with those guys. I am so blessed to be driving this HighPoint.com Ford Mustang. I’m the lucky guy that gets to drive it and it is truly a blessing. I hate that there are no fans here. I get to see so many of my fans, friends and family here that I don’t get to see anywhere else. It’s kind of bittersweet, but I know they’re all watching on TV. I can’t believe we won at Indy.

“Everybody knows that my hero in racing was Tony Stewart. To get to drive for him and watch him win at the Brickyard, climbing the fence was always his signature thing and I just wanted to do it. Obviously, it’s not the same prestige as winning on the oval, but we still won at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. It doesn’t matter if you’re racing on the oval, the road course, the dirt track or even the parking lot, it’s special when you win here. Growing up, coming here all the time, it’s unbelievable to think that I just won here. I am so happy to get HighPoint.com in victory lane again.”

 

Notes:               

● Briscoe earned his series-leading fifth win of the season and his seventh career Xfinity Series victory. 

● This was Briscoe’s first win at Indianapolis and his second career road-course win. Briscoe won his first career Xfinity Series race at the Charlotte (N.C.) Motor Speedway Roval in 2018.

● Briscoe finished fourth in Stage 1 to earn seven bonus points. He won Stage 2 to earn 10 more bonus points and a valuable playoff point.

● There were five caution periods for a total of 15 laps.

● Twenty-seven of the 38 drivers in the Brickyard 150 finished on the lead lap.

 

Next Up:           

The next event on the Xfinity Series schedule is a doubleheader July 9-10 at Kentucky Speedway in Sparta. The first race starts at 8 p.m. EDT on Thursday, July 9. The second race begins at 8 p.m. EDT on Friday, June 10. FS1 and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will broadcast both races.

 

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