March 13, 2022 | By Lee Spencer

Chase Briscoe holds off late-race charge at Phoenix for first career Cup win

Chase Briscoe held back tears as he charged to his first Cup career win on Sunday in the Ruoff Mortgage 500 at Phoenix Raceway.

A late-race caution set up a three-lap shootout to the finish, but the 27-year-old racer held off determined challenges by Ross Chastain and Tyler Reddick en route to Victory Lane.

In his 40th start, Briscoe became the 200th victor in NASCAR’s top tier and the first driver to win in the No. 14 car at the one-mile oval in the desert.

“It's just crazy," Briscoe said. "To think literally seven years ago I was sleeping on couches, volunteering in race shops, just trying to get an opportunity to do anything I could and now to be a winner in the Cup series—driving for my heroe's (Tony Stewart, team owner) car—it’s unbelievable.

“All the stuff that's been able to happen and to now be a winner—and be the 200th winner at that—it’s just unreal. So super cool. Still can't believe it. I don't think it's really set in yet.”

Chastain trailed Briscoe by .771-seconds at the line. The second-place result was Chastain’s second podium in as many weeks.

“That was so much fun to get to race like that at this level,” Chastain said. “Trackhouse Racing believes in me and AdventHealth and The Moose, these people they believed in me early in the season when stuff wasn’t going great.

“That’s so cool to race with Tyler and Chase (Briscoe). I mean that’s like everything I’ve ever wanted and my crew chief Phil Surgen, like people don’t know how good he is. His adjustments this year have been so incredible and gave me exactly what I needed. Just came up one spot short. I’m so happy.”

Reddick finished third, followed by Ryan Blaney, Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, Daniel Suarez and Chris Buescher rounded out the top 10 in the final race of the West Coast swing.

Blaney led the first 27 laps but received a speeding penalty during the competition caution. Corey LaJoie hit the wall after the right front tire came off in Turn 1 to trigger the second caution on Lap 46. Cody Ware couldn’t avoid the debris and hit the tire carcass coming around the corner.

William Byron grabbed the lead on the restart and held on for the Stage 1 win—his first of the season. Blaney remained on the track on Lap 65 and reassumed the lead when the second stage began four laps later.

Christopher Bell, who finished sixth at the end of Stage 1, lost 15 positions on pit road when the jack dropped early before the lug was tight on the hub. Bell’s team added a new jackman and tire changer. Sixty laps later, he spun on the backstretch to ignite the fourth caution. With a left rear flat, Bell was forced to limp back to pit road—the second time in as many races. He finished 26th, two laps down.

Blaney led the drivers to pit road on Lap 120. Chase Elliott exited the pits first, but Blaney regained the lead and held on to win Stage 2 with the No. 9 Chevy in tow.

Elliott led the field to the third stage. Harvick, who leads all active drivers with nine wins at Phoenix but hasn't won since the Bristol Night Race in 2020, restarted third but spun his tires. Reddick challenged Elliott and took the lead temporarily before dropping behind the No. 9 car.

The sixth caution occurred on Lap 221 when Martin Truex Jr. hit the wall on the backstretch while running 12th. Elliott retained the lead out of the pits but Briscoe seized the lead on the Lap 230 restart. Seven laps later, Kyle Larson was off the pace due to a faulty valve spring. He finished 34th.

“I felt it four or five laps before it, well it was just getting worse,” said Larson, who finished 34th. “Hate that. I know they’ll address the issue that seems like we have had the last couple of weeks with some of the engines.”

Briscoe was in command of the race when Erik Jones hit the wall on the backstretch. While Briscoe relinquished the lead coming to the pits, the No. 14 executed a flawless stop and he held the point upon exit.

“Good job, guys, thank you,” Briscoe told his crew.

With his veteran teammate Harvick lining up alongside him and Chastain and Reddick behind, Briscoe knew he had to adopt a take-no-prisoners approach on the restart. Chastain shot down on the apron but Briscoe held serve.

Elliott spun off of Turn 2 to bring out the eighth and final caution 10 laps later. Briscoe remained on the track ready for battle. Knowing Chastain and Reddick were also seeking their first Cup wins and were equally hungry, there was no holding back on the restart. Chastain attacked but Briscoe stayed alongside and maintained his line for the lead.

What was the difference?

“Who had the biggest balls, honestly,” Briscoe said with a laugh. “You just had to drive it off in there. I was surprised that Ross left me the lane that he did off of two. So I'm definitely appreciative of that. Yeah, that was fun.

“When I think of the Cup series and guys that are aggressive, it's normally Ross and Tyler are the two most so to have to outrun them guys on that last restart, I definitely earned it. So, it's super cool and this can't believe we got the 14 back in Victory Lane.”

Briscoe vaulted nine positions to fourth in the Cup standings, tied with Larson. With the win, Briscoe will advance to his first Cup Playoffs. 

While seven different teams were represented in the top 10, Hendrick Motorsports who won the last two races was not among them. Eleventh-place Elliott was the top Chevy. Logano leads the standings entering next weekend’s race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, where Blaney is the defending winner.