Getty Chase Briscoe has spoken out about his contract extension.
Chase Briscoe signed a big extension with Stewart-Haas Racing ahead of the 2023 NASCAR Cup Series season. However, this security won’t change his approach as he returns to the No. 14 Ford Mustang.
Briscoe provided comments about the extension after the announcement from Stewart-Haas Racing. He met with media members over Zoom and explained that it is “unbelievable” that he was even talking about an extension with the championship-winning organization. Briscoe also provided insight into how he still has things to prove.
“I feel like I always race with this mentality of every lap is making a difference, even if you’re 10 laps down because you have a mechanical issue,” Briscoe told reporters after signing the extension. “I always feel like I’m running 100 percent just to try to show my team that I’m not giving up.
“I don’t think my mentality changes now that I’m secured for years to come, so I don’t think it really changes anything for me. It maybe makes you a little less stressed at home, but, outside of that, I feel like you’re going to the racetrack every weekend to win and try to set the fastest lap every single lap, every single session, and things like that. I don’t think it will really change my outlook on anything as far as that goes.”
Briscoe’s Situation Drastically Changed in Recent Seasons
GettyChase Briscoe waves to fans at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
The Indiana native now races in the NASCAR Cup Series for his favorite driver. He is a winner, and he has a playoff appearance to his name. However, this was not always the case.
There were multiple years when Briscoe was struggling. He was couch-surfing and volunteering in race shops. He landed an opportunity in the ARCA Menards Series, and he delivered a championship before moving up to the Truck Series.
There were still moments when Briscoe fought for stability. He has even spoken openly in the past about how he could have lost his spot with Ford Performance if not for an Xfinity Series win in 2018.
Briscoe’s partial schedule and his win in 2018 led to full-time opportunities in 2019 and 2020. He reached the Xfinity Series playoffs both years and delivered 10 wins — nine in 2020. Briscoe then moved up to the Cup Series in 2021, won Rookie of the Year, and then captured his first win in 2022.
“It’s pretty crazy to see what it’s turned into, so it’s crazy to look back on and think about it,” Briscoe added. “I still, honestly, every day find myself just thinking how crazy it is and how it’s all worked out, how not only to make it to the Cup Series but then to make it to the Cup Series and drive the car that you dreamed of driving.”
Briscoe Now Takes On an Altered Role at SHR
Briscoe is entering his third season in the Cup Series, and he has a multi-year contract extension in hand. He also has an evolving role at Stewart-Haas Racing as he becomes more of a leader.
The dynamic at SHR will change after the 2023 season. Kevin Harvick will retire after serving as the longest-tenured driver and the vocal leader. Aric Almirola could return, or he could retire. He won’t provide any clarity about his future until some point in the future. Ryan Preece is currently on a one-year deal, but he will try to deliver strong performances and get some security of his own.
As the driver with a long-term contract, Briscoe will have to continue becoming more vocal. He will be the one who takes over as the leader in future seasons. Though he will have one more year to continue watching Harvick.
“Where we’re at as a company, for me still, Kevin Harvick is the guy,” Briscoe said. “He’s who steers our ship. He’s the guy that when he talks people listen and, for me, I’ve just tried to watch as much as I can knowing that Kevin’s not gonna be there one day.
“And especially with Aric leaving in the next few years or whenever he does, I’m gonna be the guy that’s been there the longest, so, naturally, the leadership kind of falls on you to a certain extent. So I think how Kevin gets his points across and how I get my points across is probably two different ways, but you can still learn things from Kevin in just how he approaches certain situations.”