The Cook Out Southern 500 was a race full of unexpected twists. Chase Briscoe’s advancement at Darlington Raceway surprised many, but the race also featured other significant incidents. Martin Truex Jr. crashed early on, Kyle Larson faltered after leading for much of the race, and Kyle Busch made a valiant effort to secure a playoff spot.
Chase Briscoe faced challenges beyond the track, with distractions impacting both him and his Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) team. Despite his struggles leading up to Darlington, Briscoe made a commitment to his team, which he successfully fulfilled.
Briscoe had a lackluster performance at the Coke Zero Sugar 400 in Daytona, starting from 6th but falling back and only leading 12 laps, earning 23 points and falling 144 points behind the playoff line. Before the race, he admitted to being disappointed with his performance and promised to make it up to his team.
True to his word, Briscoe delivered a standout performance at Darlington, securing a win that not only clinched him a playoff spot but also boosted his confidence for the upcoming races. This victory was Briscoe’s second in his Cup Series career, with his first win coming in 2022 at the Ruoff Mortgage 500 at Phoenix Raceway.
As Stewart-Haas Racing prepares to end its Cup Series operations, its drivers are making plans for the future. Josh Berry will join Wood Brothers Racing to drive the No. 21 car, replacing Harrison Burton. Chase Briscoe will move to Joe Gibbs Racing as Martin Truex Jr. retires from full-time racing.
Noah Gragson is likely to take a spot at Front Row Motorsports, while Ryan Preece’s future remains uncertain, with ongoing discussions with several teams. Despite the closure of SHR’s Cup Series operations, the team will continue to compete in the Xfinity Series with two charters.
