NASCAR driver Chase Briscoe has spoken out about the hefty penalty given to him after qualifying 25th at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. The season started off on the backfoot for Briscoe when he was informed of a serious penalty last weekend.
The penalty, related to a spoiler issue found in Briscoe’s Daytona 500 car, has certainly cast a shadow over the start of his season, already impacting his standing in the championship.
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Chase Briscoe hails from Mitchell, Indiana, and started climbing the NASCAR ladder through the Truck Series in 2017, later moving to the Xfinity Series, before finally making his Cup Series debut in 2021 with Stewart-Haas Racing.
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The 2025 season was a new beginning for Briscoe as he joined Joe Gibbs Racing, stepping into the shoes of Martin Truex Jr. in the No. 19 car. Joe Gibbs Racing, a powerhouse team in NASCAR since its foundation by former NFL coach Joe Gibbs in 1991, has a rich history of success and fostering skilled drivers.
The spoiler infraction discovered in Briscoe’s car took place during a post-race inspection at NASCAR’s R&D Center. With the introduction of the Next Gen car in 2022, NASCAR started using many single-source supplied parts, like the spoiler involved in this penalty case, aimed at reducing costs and ensuring parity. Modifying these parts is strictly prohibited, with Briscoe’s team unfortunately finding out the hard way.
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The penalty handed down includes a deduction of 100 driver points, 100 owner points for Joe Gibbs Racing, and a troublesome 10 playoff points cut. Moreover, team crew chief James Small faces a four-race suspension accompanied by a $100,000 fine. These penalties firmly hit Briscoe early in the season, setting him back over two full-race wins in points, complicating his playoff opportunity.
Briscoe didn’t hold back his disappointment, via Fox Sports.
“I was bummed that night. Once I went to bed and woke up the next morning, you just have to move on.
“There was nothing I’m going to be able to do to change the outcome.
“From my standpoint, all I can do is prepare the best I can and try to win the race this week, next week.”
Joe Gibbs Racing is appealing the penalty, which temporarily allows crew chief James Small to stay active during the ongoing appeal process. But as Briscoe sits at -67 points, he faces additional pressure to perform in the upcoming races, especially with Atlanta Motor Speedway’s newly reconfigured track offering opportunities to quickly make up lost ground.
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The driver remains optimistic and focused on the future, despite his substantial violation.
“If we don’t win the appeal, you’ve kind of used up your mulligans. You kind of have three or four times where you have a DNF throughout the season and still make the playoffs.”
“If my back is up against the wall (to make the playoffs), I don’t hate that feeling. I feel like I do better almost in those situations a lot of times.”
Qualifying in the 25th position for Atlanta might not deter his spirit, as he reflects on his and his new team’s potential.
“We’ve had really, really good speed and we really don’t even know each other yet. I’m excited for what this opportunity is.”
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