Chase Briscoe reacts to 100-point penalty from NASCAR, challenge if appeal fails

In his first race with Joe Gibbs Racing, Chase Briscoe found himself with a massive 100-point penalty after his car was torn down. Briscoe had his car taken to the NASCAR Research and Development Center and there were issues with the spoiler.

With apparent modifications made to the spoiler, Chase Briscoe finds himself 67 points in the red. -67 total. Not a great start to his tenure at JGR, but not much Briscoe could do about it anyway.

This week in Atlanta, the media asked Briscoe about the major penalty. This isn’t his first time going through this. He happened to be feeding his son when he got word about the penalty.

“I figured something was happening,” Briscoe said, via Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports. “Then Brad Moran just told me that, ‘Hey, there’s going to be a penalty announced next 20 minutes.’ So yeah, that’s what I was doing [feeding my son].”

JGR has appealed the penalty. So, crew chief James Small won’t be suspended…yet. But he could be off the pit box for four weeks if the penalty is upheld.

“So, I don’t know who they would go with but having Gabehart and all the people they have in place you know, at least it will be a little bit easier I guess than some other companies would have something like that happen. But yeah, I definitely want James there especially this early in the season. Just us getting that chemistry going is super important. So, yeah, that’s why he’s here this week, too.”

Chase Briscoe is starting behind in points, but this year isn’t about points.

Chase Briscoe is all about wins in 2025

The difference between racing for Stewart-Haas and Joe Gibbs is massive. The expectations are clearly different. Last year, it was do what you can and be happy with it. This year, there are real goals.

“I feel like I’m in a must-win situation just starting at JGR,” Briscoe continued. “Like, you need to be winning in JGR stuff. So, yeah, I feel like it’s a must-win situation every year for me just from a career standpoint. So I don’t feel like it changes anything from that standpoint.

Briscoe has the right mindset. He doesn’t need to worry about points racing. What he has to do is focus on optimizing his opportunities and getting wins this year. At JGR, that is the bare minimum. Once you get the win it starts to become what can you do in the playoffs.

A rough start for Chase Briscoe, no doubt about it. It is nothing that he can’t overcome with a checkered flag or two.