“This night just literally went perfect”: Chase Briscoe comments on his crown jewel win at Darlington amid SHR’s closing down

Chase Briscoe won Sunday's crown jewel race at Darlington Raceway. As he spoke to Marty Snider of NBC Sports during a post-race interview, the Stewart-Haas Racing driver revealed how much that win meant to him and the No. 14 team.

Stewart-Haas Racing, which is co-owned by multi-time Cup Series champion Tony Stewart and automotive tycoon Gene Haas, is expected to close its operations at the Cup level at the end of 2024. Joe Gibbs Racing driver Martin Truex Jr. will retire also at the end of this season and Briscoe will replace him behind the wheel of the No. 19 Toyota Camry.

Stewart-Haas Racing co-owner Gene Haas announced earlier this year that he would retain one of the four SHR charters and field a Cup Series outfit named Haas Factory Team, based in Kannapolis, North Carolina. However, SHR will continue competing in the Xfinity Series.

"The day that we found out that the team wasn't gonna exist anymore, we went over to the shop floor and we all looked at each other and said, 'We're in this to the end. We're not going to give up.'" Chase Briscoe told Snider. "And we kept saying all week. 'We got one bullet left in the chamber,' that bullet hit."

Briscoe led the concluding 26 laps of the 367-lap showdown, holding off Richard Childress Racing sensation, Kyle Busch, en route to his second victory in the Cup Series and his first since March 2022. Recalling his battle with the two-time Cup Series champion during the final laps, Briscoe said,

"I was sideways, counter-steering like I was on a sprint car. This night just literally went perfect. The pit crew did an incredible job. I was crying after the checkered. I just won the Southern 500; this is a crown jewel."

Briscoe's win at the Darlington Raceway, got him the 14th playoff spot. Martin Truex Jr. and Ty Gibbs were the only winless drivers this year to bag the final two playoff berths on points.

Chase Briscoe gave a shoutout to his fans following Darlington victory

NASCAR Cup Series driver Chase Briscoe (14) crosses the start/finish line to win the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway (Source: Imagn)

Chase Briscoe had visited the victory lane at the 1.366-mile black asphalt racetrack before. On May 21, 2020, the Mitchell, Indiana, native won an Xfinity race at the iconic track after leading 45 laps with the No. 98 car for Stewart-Haas Racing.

However, that was also the time when the entire world was battling the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, not a lot of people were present at the grandstands to witness Chase Briscoe's victory firsthand. This time, Briscoe was happy to have his fans and family around.

"What makes this race so special is all these race fans," Briscoe exclaimed, addressing the fans as they cheered for him. "Every time we come here, it’s sold out. It’s awesome. We love you guys. Last time I won here was during COVID. I didn’t experience it with the fans. Glad that you are here and can’t wait to celebrate."

Meanwhile, the playoffs are all set to roll out next week (September 8) at the Atlanta Motor Speedway, a quad-oval intermediate speedway in Hampton, Georgia. The race will broadcast on NBC and USA from 3 PM ET onwards. Fans can also listen to live radio updates on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.