Chase Briscoe admits he’s still 'starstruck' racing NASCAR legends Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin before title showdown

Chase Briscoe is headed to his first NASCAR Cup Series Championship 4, and he’s doing it with humility. The 30-year-old Joe Gibbs Racing driver admitted ahead of Sunday’s Phoenix finale that even after a decade in the sport, he still finds himself in awe of the drivers he’ll face for the title.

Briscoe, who joined JGR this year to pilot the No. 19 Toyota, told Fox Sports’ Bob Pockrass that despite his growing resume, part of him still feels like a fan living out a dream.

“I think fans should root for me because I'm really just one of them, if we're being honest,” Briscoe said. “Like I still get starstruck racing against Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin and all these guys. I mean literally I was a fan less than 10 years ago. Just watching on TV and just trying to work on the cars myself. So yeah I think that fans root for me because essentially I'm just one of them.”

Chase Briscoe’s journey to this point has been defined by persistence. After five years in the Cup Series and ten overall in NASCAR’s national divisions, he’s now within one race of a championship. Additionally, he will be battling one of those veterans, who happens to be his teammate, for the title - Denny Hamlin.

Denny Hamlin (L) and Chase Briscoe at Dover Motor Speedway. Source: Getty

When asked how he balances admiration for his rivals with the focus required to beat them, Briscoe replied:

“I don’t know. I mean it’s cool that I’m racing against them. I think just because you're starstruck doesn't mean you still can't go race with them. I've done it my whole career, where I am still like, 'Man, I'm racing against this guy right now.' And I've still been able to beat him or race around him. So I don't think it'll be any different this week either.”

Chase Briscoe's first season with Joe Gibbs Racing has been built on consistency. He started the postseason with a dominant win at Darlington and followed it up with another victory at Talladega, securing his spot in the Championship 4, with an average finish of 9.1 during that time.

While he suffered a setback at Martinsville due to an engine failure after 295 laps, team owner Joe Gibbs has clarified that those issues 'won't come back.'

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Joe Gibbs praises Chase Briscoe’s rise as JGR eyes its first NASCAR title in five years

Chase Briscoe with team owner Joe Gibbs after winning the pole for the Daytona 500. Source: Imagn

For Joe Gibbs Racing, Sunday’s Phoenix finale represents two very different championship stories converging. On one side stands Denny Hamlin - NASCAR’s winningest active driver without a Cup title, still searching for that elusive championship after 20 full-time seasons.

On the other hand, Chase Briscoe is the season's underdog whose journey from small-town Indiana dirt tracks to NASCAR’s biggest stage has captured the garage’s attention. Team owner Joe Gibbs acknowledged both drivers with pride this week.

“If I take Chase first, here's somebody I noticed — I think yesterday on Sirius radio, they were talking to him about the couch that he slept on for like two years while he's trying to get an opportunity in the sport,” Gibbs said (via Cup Scene). “To see him, a first-year guy, be able to get everything done that he's got done, be on seven poles, won three races, to wind up in the final four. So, that’s a great story.” (13:52 onwards) “Then you move over to Denny. Here's somebody that's won 60 times in our sport. All the things that he does now - he's an owner of a race team, he races for us, and all he's done over those years... His dad (being sick) and everything that's taken place there. So it’s two definite different stories,” he continued.

Hamlin, now 44, has reached the finale five times in 12 playoff appearances. He enters Phoenix with a series-leading six wins this season. Yet his quest for a title remains the glaring omission in an otherwise Hall of Fame-worthy career.

Chase Briscoe’s story couldn’t be more different, but his potential impact is just as significant. As a first-year JGR driver, he will be looking to make the most of his first Championship 4 appearance. Phoenix has not been one of his strongest tracks historically, but recent form suggests he has the rhythm to contend.

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Edited by Riddhiman Sarkar