Toyota GAZOO Racing – Chase Briscoe
NASCAR Cup Series Quotes
KANSAS CITY, Kansas (Sept. 27, 2025) – Joe Gibbs Racing driver Chase Briscoe was made available to the media on Saturday after winning the pole for the NASCAR Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway.
Briscoe added to his series-high seventh pole position by earning the top spot for Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400. The pole marks the most pole positions in a single season since Kyle Busch also notched seven poles back in 2017 in his No. 18 Toyota Camry.
CHASE BRISCOE, No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota Camry XSE, Joe Gibbs Racing
Take us through that blistering lap you put down during qualifying
“It was honestly kind of a surprising qualifying session. We came here in the spring, everybody for the most part ran wide open through turns one and two and turns three and four was the end of the track that kind of determined your lap. This time around guys were just way slower and not a single guy ran wide open through one and two. What we had prepped for was kind of totally opposite from what we just did there and I thought my team did a really good job of making adjustments for the slower pace and everything that goes into that. We had to adapt for a lot of angles. It was an interesting lap. I was watching everything else and noticed nobody ran wide open through one and two and everyone was way out of the gas. Coming to the green everyone was really out of the gas. When I came to the green, I knew my car was going to be really good and it was all about wide open through one and two. I just told myself to just make a good solid three and four but don’t give up too much like I did at Darlington and you’re going to have a good shot at the pole. It was a good lap and will be helpful to start up front tomorrow.”
What do you think was responsible for the slower speeds today?
“Momentum. The car drives the exact same on this tire and my inputs don’t feel that drastically different, maybe I had a little less grip but not so much that you thought you were going to be a second slower. This place is so momentum based, just being out of the gas a little extra really adds up. It was definitely surprising going into the weekend. All the prep work we thought we would be running way faster than we are this weekend. It’s definitely a challenge for sure.”
Could you tell anything with the new right-side tire?
“No, not really. Just slower. From a feel standpoint I didn’t really notice anything different than I expected in the spring. Maybe just not getting into the corner quite as hard, but the feel was very similar to what I’ve always imagined here. I’m still kind of surprised by the pace change for sure.”
You have the most poles in a single season since 2017. Were you always a fast qualifier in sprint cars and other vehicles you drove growing up?
“No, horrendous every time. Sprint cars I was literally the worst qualifier ever, I would be so nervous. In stock cars I always have been the strongest in qualifying for whatever reason. In the past at SHR, I would qualify fifth to 10th a lot, but didn’t show a whole lot because I wasn’t on the pole. The cars capability is just so much greater now, those fifth to 10th qualifiers are now second and poles. Qualifying has always been my strongest asset truthfully in stock cars, I just haven’t been able to show it in the Cup Series.”
What is your mentality when you qualify as far as being in control out there?
“I don’t know. I don’t use markers, I just go out there and go wide open until I feel like I need to list and once I go back to the gas I go back to the gas and sometimes I mess it up. I mess it up more often than not, truthfully. I don’t ever have a preconceived notion by watching videos of where I need to lift, I just go out there and drive it to the limit and if it’s good enough it’s good enough. And sometimes I leave a little bit on the table or I overdo it, 99% of the time I overdo it. It really comes down to the car, just really good at getting the balance right. I’m not the only JGR car that qualifies well, Denny (Hamlin) is on the front row with me, Christopher (Bell) is up there, Ty (Gibbs) is really fast. Our cars are just really good, and when your cars are good it just allows you to be more aggressive.”
Where is the pedal car going to go for winning the pole today?
“That will definitely be a fighting piece at our household. Having three kids, I have another pedal car from 2016 and Brooks (son) rides it all the time. He’ll be excited as the older seniority to get the newer one. I guess I’m going to have to try and win one in the spring so all three kids can have one. It’s always a cool part about Kansas with the unique pole trophy. Not every track has a pole trophy so it’s always cool when there’s something neat like that.”
Bass Pro Shops is down the road in Springfield, Missouri. Does anyone there put more pressure on you here at Kansas with them being located not too far away from here?
“I don’t feel like there’s any more pressure from them. It’s just cool every time we come here you kind of know it’s in their backyard. I came in and hung out with them the last couple of days and you know their presence in the area. Johnny (Morris, Bass Pro Shops owner) will be here tomorrow and it’s an added pressure when he’s here because you want to perform because I would love to experience a win with Johnny, I’ve never been able to experience that before. Hopefully we can execute tomorrow and allow him to go to victory lane in his backyard, essentially. There’s always an added pressure as a driver whether it’s your home track or your sponsors home track or crew chiefs home track. When you are near home you just want to perform when there are people there to support you. Hopefully we can do that.”
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