Kevin Harvick's Happy Hour presented by NASCAR on FOX - Chase Briscoe Interview following win at Darlington | VICTORY LAP

Episode Date: September 1, 2025

Fresh off his dominant win at Darlington, Chase Briscoe joins Kevin Harvick for this week’s Victory Lap. Briscoe breaks down how he was able to hold off Tyler Reddick in the final laps, what it meant to lead 309 laps on his way to the victory, and how this performance sets the tone for the rest of his postseason. They also discuss how Briscoe’s mindset shifts now that he’s advanced to the Round of 12, the keys to his growth as a driver, and what fans can expect from him as the Playoffs intensify. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's very rare where you just have a race-winning car that is that much better than the field to be able to actually capitalize on that and go and win the race. There was definitely a brief moment there where I was like, man, you're going to lose this race, but just had a big deed. Well, Chase, congratulations on winning another race at Darlington. That looked like a pretty flawless night. Yeah, it was fun. I've obviously been a fan of, or I've been a fan, right,

and I've seen the 19 car kind of go and just dominate these races. I've seen the four car do it as well. So it's fun to be on the other side of it where I was the one behind the wheel. And like I said, I've seen you do those types of races where you go out and just dominate, right? And as a driver, I mean, that's what you dream about is a car like that. And it's just nice to be able to capitalize on it. You know, whenever you get a car like that, it's very rare where you just have a race-winning car that is that much better than the field.

and to be able to actually capitalize on that and go and win the race and just execute all night long. There's a lot to be proud of when it comes to that. So, yeah, it was a great night, great way to obviously start the playoffs for us and pretty cool to, you know, anytime you can just even race at Darlington,

it's cool, but let alone win there and to do it in the Southern 500. It's pretty special. What were those last 20 laps like? It looked like your car started to get loose maybe. And it looked like Tyler had finally said, screw it, I'm going to put this thing right next to the fence and see what happens here. But that had to be pretty intense with that 45 right in your mirror right there,

knowing that if you made one slip, it was going to be trouble. It was for sure. You know, a concern for me when that final caution came out, you know, it was going to be a 48 lap run, I think, to the end. And my car was, I mean, unbelievable for 25 laps. But from lap 35 on, that was kind of the struggles. spot for me, but I normally could build a big enough gap that it would kind of even itself out. And I just remember I started getting pretty loose.

And I honestly didn't drive away from Tyler as much as I was needing to. I think I only got to like a 1.7 second lead where the other runs I was able to build over three seconds. And yeah, I remember I was getting loose. And the lap times, I was only like a tenth better than him and even even and out at times. And I looked over at the big screen down the front straightaway. And it was 30 to go. And I was like, man, I'm, I'm in trouble.

here. And he got there around last, I think 20 to go, if you were saying, and he was running way higher into one than what I was. And I hadn't really been able to do that all night. And I was just so loose. There was definitely a brief moment there where I was like, man, you're going to, you're going to lose this race, but just had to dig deep, you know, truthfully and just, you know, kind of just decide, hey, look, like if you spend this thing out, you spin it out. Because at that point, I felt like I'd had a pretty good point tonight already. But it's hard to go back to your team, I felt like if you don't win with one of those cars. So you just better figure out a way to go win with it. And, you know, I able to, you know, hold Tyler off. You know, luckily for me,

I was good enough than three and four. I could normally get away enough for how bad I was in one and two. You can never really get there. But yeah, another couple of labs. They would have definitely been interesting. So you've gone from fighting for your life, your whole career, not knowing what you're doing next. And now you're in a position where you can, you can fight. I mean, you can, you can fight. I mean, you've always been really good at closing those races out. And now you're in a position to where the expectation is to win. Do you feel like that you go to the racetrack every week, not expecting with that expectation to win? And how long has that mentality and approach taken for you to change? Because it seems like you guys have settled in. You've turned good qualifying into top five.

You've turned it into wins now. How long is it taken you to switch that mindset into what's happening on a week to week basis now. It's definitely switched. I would say it was probably a month, month and a half ago where like finally kind of just, you know, there's just this moment where I don't know what determined it, but it just felt like everything went from,

it was probably right around where we finished second, you know, three weeks in a row. And I felt like I was, you know, I still am auditioning, right? Like I'm replaceable at any point. But I definitely felt way more.

comfortable at where I'm at in my career here and felt like, you know, in the past, I've always felt like, you know, I needed the team almost way more than they needed me. And I feel like I'm almost finally getting to that point in my career where I've proven myself enough and showed enough speed to where, you know, I am valuable to the team now. And they need me just as much as I need them. So it definitely has been different, you know, over the course of the last month and a half, I would say, and just even my demeanor going to the racetrack, you know, from, you know, from, you know, just going there and trying to kind of prove that you belong to all of a sudden feeling like you have a legitimate shot to win the championship.

And it's definitely been different. You know, at least in my cup career, I've never felt that way. You know, in Xfinity I did, but it's just so much different doing that at the cup level. And it's a great feeling, you know, but it's been a lot of fun at the same time. So I have a conversation that we had a long time ago. Well, it's not been a long time ago, but it seems like a long time ago. And it sticks out of my mind every time I watch you race or I hear James talk to you on the radio. And it was about Richard Boswell and why you wanted to switch your crew chief to Richard Boswell.

And I vividly remember this. And it's because I need somebody to stay on my ass, yell at me when I need to be yelled at, push me to do things that I might not otherwise do. Well, buddy, you've got that all in. And you've got that in intensity. What's that been like with James? Because I know that you have asked for that and liked that. What's that been like?

Has it been more than you want? Or has it just, it seems like it's obviously been good, but it seems really intense. Yeah, it's been good. It's definitely intense. You know, I didn't think it got much more intense than Boswell, but boy, was I wrong. Yeah, James is just the super, you know,

to the point guy, you know, just very, you know, short and blunt. truthfully and it's definitely something i mean you know me right and i i i do need somebody that kind of pushes me i'm very laid back and just nonchalant kind of about everything in my life and you know when it comes to the competition side i think it's helped both of us truthfully like i'm so laid back and easygoing i think it helps james kind of come down off some of that high motion sometimes and that's something that i think is important at least for me like those are just that have always been what I needed. Like, and I think it's because my dad was that way with me.

Like, he was never going to sugarcoat anything. He was going to tell me when I was doing stuff wrong. And, you know, in a crew chief, I need that same thing. Like, I can't get better unless you tell me what I'm doing wrong. And James will certainly tell you what you're doing wrong. That's for sure. And so, you know, it, you never know how it's going to work with people. And you guys have obviously worked together.

As you go into the next couple weeks, obviously you've won. You know you're going to the next round. What's the goal for the next two weeks and what worries you? Is there a track ahead of you that you're like, all right, we got to make sure we're buttoned up here? I mean, I think for the next two weeks for us, it's just trying to get as many playoff points as we can. I mean, last night, yeah, I'm happy that we locked into the round of 12. But truthfully, I feel like we've, as long as we just ran halfway decent, we were going to go to the round of 12 anyways. So I was way more excited about the seven playoff points last night.

Neat thing. I mean, we only had 10 playoff points going into the playoffs. Now we have 17. I mean, that's a huge, huge delta now, especially once you get into that round of eight, it at least makes it somewhat achievable to point your way in if you had to. So for us, that's the biggest thing I think these next two weeks is just trying to keep doing

what we've been doing, try to win stages, obviously try to win the race. But yeah, I would say if there's any track that kind of worries me, I mean, obviously Taledega, right? But in the round of 12, I would say it's Loudon. You know, it's just been a place that I've always felt very lost at and just always been a huge struggle for me and trucks, X-Finity, everything. So that would be the one I would say I'm probably definitely going to put more effort into now that we're locked in already. You know, I already told James last week even like, hey, let's let's the next week or two start already working on loud.

And just because I feel like I need the work there. So, yeah, I'm sure that we're put a little more emphasis on that now. Well, careful what you asked for there. You might have to do a thousand laps in the simulator before you get too far along. We did 10 or 12 hours of Richmond because that was one of my worst tracks, too. So, yeah, I'm sure I'll be grinding the hours out in there at Loudoun. So what's last question? What's made Darlington so good for you?

I mean, it's Xfinity cars, Cup cars. What do you think has made that place so good for you? I think it just, I mean, there's tracks. to fit your driving style. And that track just is very similar to what I grew up doing in non-wing spread car racing, where you, you know, the thing's got 900 horsepower, weighs 1,300 pounds. And, you know, I grew up non-wing racing, so there is no downforce. You're just sliding all over the place.

And, you know, your grip level is so low all the time. And you're constantly searching the racetrack for, you know, different grip. And you never do the same thing twice at Darlington. And it's certainly been a place that, I mean, literally i remember the first time i went there next finity i just kind of fell in love with the place and and had speed from the get goes so yeah i think it just fits my driving style you know i definitely you know out of all the tracks we go to it seems like the slick war out ones are typically the best ones for me um you know between homestead and darlington but darlington in my career has definitely

been the best track and yeah i think it just relates so much to non-wing sprint car racing just where you're always sliding around and searching for grip and yeah i've just always felt comfortable doing that for whatever reason. Well, it's been fun to watch. I love the fact that you guys have progressed into consistent winners and top five runners and you've earned it. We'll be looking forward to

the rest of your playoff run and good luck. Yeah, thank you, buddy. Appreciate it.