HAMPTON, Ga. — Chase Briscoe is facing a significant challenge as he heads into Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, following a hefty penalty that has left him with a substantial points deficit. Despite this setback, Briscoe is remaining resolute, stating that he already felt a sense of urgency to win this week because of the high expectations at his new team, Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR).
“I feel like I’m in a must-win situation just starting at JGR,” Briscoe explained. “Winning is a necessity at JGR, so I don’t believe this situation changes my mindset.”
Ryan Blaney secured the pole position on Saturday for the upcoming race, with teammates Austin Cindric and Joey Logano starting second and fourth, respectively. Blaney expressed hope that they could maintain control during the opening stage of the race, although he acknowledged that circumstances could shift as the race progressed.
Briscoe previously claimed the pole for the Daytona 500 but finished fourth. Last Wednesday, NASCAR announced that during inspections, they found a modified spoiler on Briscoe’s No. 19 Toyota, resulting in a severe penalty for JGR. The team was stripped of 100 driver/owner points, faced a fine of $100,000, and Briscoe’s crew chief James Small has been suspended for four races. As a result, Briscoe’s points tally fell to negative 67, dropping him from 10th to 39th in the standings.
Reflecting on the penalties, Briscoe mentioned, “If we don’t win the appeal, you’ve kind of used up your mulligans.” He admitted that he felt disheartened initially but soon realized he needed to focus on performing well in the Atlanta race.
William Byron achieved a dramatic victory at the Daytona 500, clinching victory after making a last-lap surge from ninth place. He successfully defended his title in this prestigious race, marking a notable achievement for Hendrick Motorsports. Last February, Daniel Suarez won in Atlanta, narrowly edging Blaney and Kyle Busch in what was recorded as one of the closest finishes in NASCAR at just 0.003 seconds. Logano also clinched Atlanta’s second race last year during the NASCAR playoffs.
In terms of qualifications, Briscoe will start 25th in his Toyota, while Suarez will begin in 29th. Josh Berry achieved a commendable third position, and Ford drivers claimed 10 out of the top 11 spots in the lineup. Kyle Busch qualified sixth in his Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing.
As the season unfolds, Hendrick Motorsports drivers are eager to secure a third consecutive victory. Chase Elliott, who won in Atlanta in 2022, kicked off his season with a win at the Clash. Byron will start in 16th, followed by Kyle Larson in 17th and Elliott in 19th as they all aim for triumph. This marks a rare opportunity, as the last team to win the Clash and the first two points races was in 1997 with Jeff Gordon from Hendrick Motorsports winning the first three races.
Ryan Preece, who will take the green flag from the 11th position, expressed his relief following a frightening crash at Daytona, where his Ford flipped in the air. This incident marked the second time at Daytona that Preece’s car flipped over, following a harrowing event in 2023 that left him bruised with two black eyes. On Saturday, he appeared unscathed and remarked, “I joke with my wife that I’m like a cat with nine lives right now. You don’t want to use all nine of them.”
Martin Truex Jr. will see the end of his impressive streak of 685 consecutive starts, the longest in the Cup Series, as he retired from full-time racing after last season. Logano now holds the record for the longest active streak with Atlanta marking his 578th consecutive race.
Lastly, NASCAR celebrated success in viewership ratings for the Daytona 500 despite facing a lengthy weather delay. The race garnered a 3.42 household rating, attracting an average of 6.8 million viewers, outshining events like the NBA All-Star game. Remarkably, the rain delay coverage averaged an impressive 4.95 million viewers, which, if considered a separate event, would have ranked second for the week.
In betting news, Blaney and Logano are the co-favorites to win the race, with odds set at +1000 according to BetMGM Sportsbook.
