DAYTONA BEACH — Chase Briscoe approaches Wednesday night’s Daytona 500 qualifying session with a refreshingly simple mindset. “I just try to be the one to not really screw it up,” the Joe Gibbs Racing driver said.
That self-deprecating assessment belies a remarkable talent for qualifying that blossomed in . Briscoe led the NASCAR Cup Series with six pole victories, a testament to the synergy between driver skill and the capabilities of his No. 19 Bass Pro Shops Toyota. He credits his team and Toyota for his success, emphasizing that his role is primarily to avoid mistakes while maximizing the car’s potential.
Briscoe’s breakout season extended beyond qualifying. He secured three race wins during his first year piloting the No. 19, previously driven by Martin Truex Jr., bringing his career total to five. This performance propelled him into the Championship 4, where he ultimately finished third in the final standings. He also placed fourth in the Daytona 500 after securing the pole.
The stakes of Wednesday’s qualifying extend beyond simply securing a favorable starting position for Sunday’s “Great American Race.” The qualifying results will lock in two of the eight non-chartered (open) cars into the race based on speed, with two more earning their spots through the Duel races. Four open cars will ultimately fail to qualify.
Legacy Motor Club’s Jimmie Johnson is already secured a spot in the field through an Open Exemption Provisional, resulting in a 41-car starting lineup for the Daytona 500.
Briscoe understands the nuances of starting position at Daytona, particularly the advantage – and potential disadvantage – of securing the coveted first pit stall. “Pit stall is big for Sunday depending on where you end up, if you’re first or second,” he explained. “Pit stall No. 1 is a huge advantage for yellow-flag stops, but it’s a bit of a disadvantage for green-flag stops.”
He elaborated on the dynamics, noting that cars already running at racing speed during a green-flag situation have a momentum advantage over those exiting pit road. “Just because the guys that are running 60 miles per hour are already at the right speed,” Briscoe said. “They hit that yellow line, and they’re going faster. It just takes you longer to get caught up.”
Conversely, the shorter distance to pit road from the first stall provides a significant benefit during caution periods. “Under yellow, (having the first pit stall) is a massive advantage because you’re going a shorter distance at that speed. But under green, it definitely makes it where you can’t pull out and block guys when they’re running 60 and you’re coming from a stop. It makes it a little bit of a disadvantage under green. It’s just harder to blend in, because when we all are going, you’re maybe only going 40 and they’re going 60 already. It just puts you a little bit behind when you’re green.”
Despite these considerations, Briscoe acknowledges the confidence boost that comes with winning the pole. “That’s the biggest thing,” he said. “Just being able to really focus on the rest of the week when you start up front … It just makes your Duels a little less stressful.”
Wednesday’s qualifying session is structured with a single-car format, where each of the 45 drivers will make a single-lap attempt around the 2.5-mile Daytona International Speedway. The fastest ten drivers will then advance to a second-round shootout to determine the pole position and front-row starting spots for the Daytona 500. The results of the qualifying session will also set the starting lineups for Thursday night’s two 60-lap America 250 Florida Duel races, which will ultimately determine the remaining 39 positions in the 41-car Daytona 500 field.
Fans can watch the qualifying session live on FS1 at , with live streaming available on Fubo (free trial). The race will also be broadcast on the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM (Channel 90).
