“I think this is definitely what we’re capable of doing… The potential has been there from Day One,” Chase Briscoe said after winning two Southern 500s in a row. The potential was indeed there, but it was invisible. Briscoe’s competitors are suddenly on guard after last Sunday, as Joe Gibbs’ newest recruit has blended in perfectly with the championship narrative. His impeccable progress in less than a year should be a warning to his rivals, as Dale Jr. believes.

This time last year, Chase Briscoe was in a state of insecurity. His previous Cup Series team, Stewart-Haas Racing, was shutting down. Briscoe signed up with JGR as it was purportedly the only team not asking him to bring sponsorship money. From scrambling for a permanent seat to threatening the Cup Series’ hotshots, Briscoe has come a long way.

Dale Jr. can see a twist in the 2025 climax

The biggest names in the Cup Series title conversation are the usual – Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, Denny Hamlin, and others. Now, however, a new name is peeking into their fold; one that struggled in the initial part of this season. When Chase Briscoe left Darlington in the spring, he was 14th in the standings after a miserable 28th-place finish. He had only three top-10 finishes in the first eight races and had led just nine laps. However, the No. 19 Toyota crew chief, James Small, instilled a fiery drive in Briscoe at practice for the Coca-Cola 600. In response to Briscoe’s concerns about the car not handling well, Small snapped, “Well, you’re not f—g driving it right, so it’s not going to.” This tough guidance eventually proved to be the key to unleashing Briscoe’s potential – and Dale Jr. is dazzled by it.

Chase Briscoe now has 8 top-five finishes in the last 16 races, and has scored the most points among drivers in the last 10 races. Having just won one of NASCAR’s crown jewel races and also its hardest races, Briscoe prompted Dale Jr. to hail him. In fact, the veteran asked his rivals to be careful in the playoffs: “Dude, he is dangerous. I’d be a little concerned. If I was the competition, I’d be looking at him, going, ‘He’s got to be one of the guys I need to worry about.’ I don’t know if he can win it all. I’m not ready to say he’s got a chance to go win the championship…But he’s going to ruin another sure contender. If there’s a final four you feel like are locks, he’s going to boot somebody out.”

In winning the 2025 Southern 500, Chase Briscoe also stamped an automatic berth in the Round of 12. This pace of improvement has been remarkable for him, as he transitioned not only from a different team but also a different OEM. James Small, his crew chief, said that this is just the beginning of Briscoe’s journey. He said, “He’s still relatively young in his career. Racing up front and competing for wins every week is not something that he’s done on a week-in, week-out basis. Over the last two or three months, he’s just gotten better and better and better. Tonight really showed that.” And Dale Jr. agreed, “I said it, y’all. Briscoe – they’re here, it’s their time, man.”

Evidently, Dale Jr. can see the big twist in the 2025 playoffs already. Meanwhile, Chase Briscoe’s team owner also showered him with praise.

A responsible star both on and off the track

When Chase Briscoe brought the No. 19 Toyota to Victory Lane in Darlington, fans cheered for somebody else who was with him. That was Briscoe’s son, Brooks, who was born in October 2021. Chase and his wife, Marissa, also have boy-girl twins, Cooper Banks and Collins Ivy, born in October 2024. This wholesome family makes Briscoe’s achievements in NASCAR more enjoyable. Brooks enthusiastically joined his father at the Southern 500, proudly flashing the victory sign to the fans and admiring the fireworks. This heart-warming company not only left fans swooning but also elicited praise from Joe Gibbs.

The stellar NASCAR Cup Series team owner said, “I think he’s really hard-working. Great person. Great family guy. He and Marissa with their three kids now. It’s a thrill to see somebody like that.” What is more, Gibbs admires Chase Briscoe’s phenomenal growth. Clinching 6 poles and 2 victories in his first season with JGR speaks volumes, as Gibbs said, “I think it is gaining confidence as he goes. But I think the one thing that we all know in this sport, you look for speed. The fact that he’s been on, I think, five poles, and he’s really, really been fast…Like tonight starting up front, then to kind of dominate the race. I think what he showed is great speed.”

Chase Briscoe is slowly capturing the attention of the NASCAR Cup garage. As the playoffs proceed, let us wait and see what magic he conjures next.