Race Summary: Dover Motor Speedway Showdown
Dover, DE – Chase Briscoe’s bid for victory at Dover Motor Speedway was thwarted by a late-race slip while competing for position with teammate Denny Hamlin. Briscoe, driving the No. 19 Toyota, experienced a loss of traction near the end, significantly impacting his chances as Hamlin secured the checkered flag.
Briscoe had gained a strategic advantage by opting for fresh tires after a red flag due to rain, rejoining the race with just 14 laps to go. He quickly advanced from 10th to fourth before a caution set up a critical late-race restart. “I was blown away; that was a gift,” said Briscoe, recounting how he capitalized on the outside lane when front-row competitors chose the inside.
Despite his strong performance, Briscoe expressed uncertainty about being able to outmaneuver Hamlin even with the fresher tires. “Denny was probably the best car, so it was going to be hard to just pass him… if it wasn’t a teammate, I could have done a lot of things differently,” Briscoe noted.
As the race concluded, Briscoe secured a second-place finish, marking his second consecutive runner-up result. He highlighted a recent trend of strong performances, including four top-10 finishes in the last six races, underscoring his team’s execution and potential heading into the playoffs.
“If the playoffs started right now, I’d feel great about it,” he said. “We can still have a little bit more speed, but overall we’ve been executing—that’s what it takes.”
Briscoe’s competitive edge remains evident as he and the No. 19 team look to build on this momentum in the weeks to come.
