Chase Briscoe focused on winning as Joe Gibbs Racing appeals Daytona penalty
Yesterday at 01:59 PM
HAMPTON, Ga. — The phone calls came in a flurry to Chase Briscoe on Wednesday, including from Cup Series managing director Brad Moran, who notified the driver of the impending penalty announcement.
After a violation with the spoiler on Briscoe's Daytona 500 car, NASCAR docked Briscoe 100 points and 10 playoff points, penalized Joe Gibbs Racing 100 team owner points and 10 playoff points, fined the team $100,000 and suspended crew chief James Small four races.
"I was bummed that night," Briscoe said Saturday at Atlanta Motor Speedway. "Once I went to bed and woke up the next morning, you just have to move on. There was nothing I'm going to be able to do to change the outcome. … From my standpoint, all I can do is prepare the best I can and try to win the race this week, next week."
Joe Gibbs Racing is appealing the decision. That allows Small to be at Atlanta Motor Speedway this weekend, but as of now, Briscoe is at -67 points in the season standings entering the second race of the year. No date has been announced for the appeal.
"If we don't win the appeal, you've kind of used up your mulligans," Briscoe said. "You kind of have three or four times where you have a DNF throughout the season and still make the playoffs."
Briscoe said before the season that he felt he was in a must-win situation this season because he's now with Joe Gibbs Racing, giving him the best chance in his career to win, so nothing changes in his mind even with the penalty.
"If my back is up against the wall (to make the playoffs), I don't hate that feeling," Briscoe said. "I feel like I do better almost in those situations a lot of times."
Briscoe will start 25th in Sunday's race at Atlanta.
He showed speed at the Clash at Bowman Gray Stadium before a mechanical issue sidelined him. Briscoe won the Daytona 500 pole and finished fourth.
"We've had really, really good speed and we really don't even known each other yet," Briscoe said of his new ride this season. "I'm excited for what this opportunity is."
