Stewart-Haas Racing driver Chase Briscoe was expected to excel in last Sunday's Food City Dirt Race at Bristol Motor Speedway. The 28-year-old Mitchell, Indiana native did not disappoint, securing a top-five spot despite not having the best of races on the 0.5-mile-long track.
However, during one of the late restarts during the 250-lap-long event, the #14 Ford Mustang driver saw flashbacks to last year's race as he tagged Team Penske's Ryan Blaney, spinning the latter out.
In a post-race interview, Briscoe reflected on his "dumb move" that "absolutely ruined" the #12 Ford Mustang driver's day. He said:
"There was definately contact. I tried to run a lane lower when I saw he was kind of going to the middle. I hit that dirt turtle deal, as soon as I hit it it popped me up drilled me straight into his left rear and absolutely ruined his day. Just a stupid move on my part and two years in a row I've made a dumb move, a dumb decision late in the race and it cost somebody else a good day."
Watch Chase Briscoe try and redeem himself this Sunday as NASCAR heads to a more traditional short-track venue at Martinsville Speedway.
Chase Briscoe expects 'payback' from Ryan Blaney going forward
Stewart-Haas Racing driver Chase Briscoe has said that he is expecting "payback" from Ryan Blaney in the upcoming NASCAR Cup Series races. Briscoe, who spun Blaney out during a late restart at Bristol last weekend, also praised the Team Penske driver.
"I'm sure there's going to be payback on that side, I definitely deserve it, he'd done a really good job all day long," Briscoe said.
The NASCAR Cup Series is headed to the final event of the 2023 short track swing this weekend at Martinsville Speedway. The 0.5-mile-long track in Ridgeway, Virgina is one of the more traditional short-track oval circuits that the sport has on its calendar this season, which will be a welcome change after a dirt-covered Bristol Motor Speedway.
Several drivers were critical of 'The Last Great Coliseum' being covered in dirt for the first race of the season, with the dirt race's future also up for debate. Catch the NOCO 400 go live at 3:00 pm ET this Sunday on FOX Sports.