Chase Briscoe gets real on strategy shift after NASCAR reverses stiff penalty in major ruling

Joe Gibbs Racing's Chase Briscoe shared his changed perspective ahead of Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix after his team's big penalty was overturned. NASCAR initially ruled that the No. 19 Toyota Camry XSE’s spoiler was illegally modified during the Daytona 500. Briscoe was punished with a $100,000 fine and 100 driver points. His crew chief, James Small was also suspended for four races.

However, NASCAR reversed all the penalties after reviewing the case, the appeals panel ruled that the changes made to the spoiler were not illegal, just necessary to attach it properly. During an interview with FOX Sports' Bob Pockrass, Briscoe talked about the reversed penalty and his new strategy starting with the Shriners Children’s 500 at Phoenix Raceway.

"I mean, it definitely, you know, changes my perspective a little bit, right? I can go and I don’t have to force so much. When we were at 47th in points... you have to force things a lot more to try to win races because, at the end of it all, that’s that really matters. But now, I can let things come to me more, and, you know, those days where you have the race car, you try to maximize that day...I definitely think it allows me to come into my own a little bit more," Chase Briscoe said.

Briscoe is now 15th in the Cup standings with 72 points.

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"It stings when it’s the first race" - Chase Briscoe on relief after getting back 100 points

Chase Briscoe debuted in the NASCAR Cup Series with Stewart Haas Racing and competed in the No. 14 Ford for four years before joining Joe Gibbs Racing this year. He debuted for the team at the season-opening Daytona 500, won the pole position and finished in fourth.

Briscoe spoke about the relief after penalty reversal to NBC Sports' Dustin Long.

"It’s crazy the amount of relief I felt, honestly, just I felt like a new man the rest of the week. So yeah, it’s been nice. Not that our season was over, but it kind of felt that way to a certain extent. I mean, we could have still won a race, right, and made the playoffs, but you’re going to be at such a deficit the whole season," Chase Briscoe said.

"So yeah, I definitely feel like I got a new life in a sense, just because it stings when it’s the first race, and you’re kind of buried the whole season. But now I feel like I’m back on a level playing field," he added.

Briscoe was also fined $250,000 and lost 120 driver and 25 playoff points in May 2023. The L3 penalty was issued after NASCAR found a counterfeit engine panel duct during the Coca-Cola 600 post-race inspections.