Briscoe, JGR, Toyota all make big statements at Darlington Raceway to start the NASCAR playoffs

DARLINGTON, S.C. (AP) — Chase Briscoe made a big statement Sunday night with his second straight Southern 500 victory that he's a serious contender for the NASCAR Cup Series title. Briscoe's team, Joe Gibbs Racing, and his manufacturer, Toyota, also made statements at Darlington Raceway that this postseason would not be a Penske-paloooza runaway like the past few. "I think a night like tonight really gives Chase the confidence that he belongs," crew chief James Smalls said of the first-year JGR team. That was obvious to anyone who watched the crown jewel race. Briscoe, who qualified second, moved in front early and rarely left the front, leading for 309 of 367 laps and outlasting Tyler Reddick to back up last year's surprise victory at the track nicknamed "Too Tough To Tame" that got him into the playoffs at the last possible moment. The win a year ago gave soon-to-be-closing Stewart-Haas Racing a final shot at playoff participation. Briscoe wanted to set a strong tone early this time around and did just that on perhaps the most difficult of NASCAR's 10 postseason tracks. "I've always just loved high-pressure situations," he said. "I feel like I just perform better for whatever reason. I feel like my whole career has always been a high-pressure situation, right? There was no backup plan. You might only get one race (and) you've got to perform, show your worth." Now, that's on top of the playoff standings as powerhouse JGR looks to win its first NASCAR Cup Series crown since former Gibbs racer Kyle Busch did it in 2019. Since then, Rick Hendrick Motorsports won titles in 2020 and '21, with Team Penske capturing the past three. JGR owner Joe Gibbs said Briscoe showed up as strong as any of past Cup Series winners. "Starting up front, then to kind of dominate the race," Gibbs said. "I think what he showed is great speed." Just like many of the highest-profile Toyotas. Briscoe's teammate, Denny Hamlin, edged him out for the pole in qualifying Saturday, then overcame problems in the pits to rally for seventh. Hamlin, considered by many to be the best driver without a title, is second in playoff standings and in strong position to advance. Hamlin also saw his playoff drivers Reddick and Bubba Wallace — Hamlin co-owns 23XI Racing with Michael Jordan — finish second and sixth in Toyotas. Both are in the top five in the playoff standings and poised for strong runs. In all, there were six Toyotas among the top seven finishers. It was the manufacturer's third top-four sweep since it came to the Cup Series in 2007. As far as the others power players? Defending champion and three-time series winner Joey Logano is 13th and among the first four out without an improvement at World Wide Technology Raceway outside of St. Louis next week or at Bristol Motor Speedway on Sept. 13. 2020 series champion Chase Elliott finished well behind the leaders and when asked about his chances of a better run next race said, "Well, I just finished 17th." Wallace, the 23XI racer, thought he, Reddick and the Toyota drivers came through when it mattered most. He's confident that will continue throughout the playoffs. "To show up here and put together two solid races for our team, got to keep that going. Check that off the list. Nine more to go," he said. Briscoe insisted he thought little of the big picture before, during and after his huge weekend at Darlington. His crew chief was focused enough for the whole team. Smalls was asked if the No. 19 team had the pieces to take the trophy this year in Briscoe's first season in the cockpit after taking over from Martin Truex Jr. "Oh, 100%," he said. "It was difficult, new situation for everybody. We had a little bit of learning to do, some new people on the team as well. We had some speed. Just took a little bit to jell and get everybody on the same page, understanding of what we're trying to achieve every week." If Briscoe's JGR Toyota keeps stacking performances like this, the result could be NASCAR's biggest prize.