Like being at home

Racing has been a part of Chase Briscoe’s entire life. A third-generation racer, Briscoe started on the dirt tracks around home before moving up the ranks to become the driver of the Number 14 Ford Performance Racing School Ford Mustang for Stewart-Haas.

“I grew up in a racing family. My grandpa since 1976 owned a team and had legends drive for him, including my dad,” Briscoe said “I was super into it from a young age. I raced twice when I was 7, quarter midget, then didn’t race again until I was 11 and got into mini sprints at 13 when I jumped into sprint cars.”

Briscoe is next in the line of family racers after his dad, Kevin, raced sprint cars for more than 20 years. During his career, Kevin won more than 150 feature events.

“I’m not sure what my parents were thinking but that is the route I went with our family’s background,” Briscoe said.

Once on the track he found quick success. As a rookie he had 37 starts with eight top-five finishes and 17 top-10 finishes. That included winning in the last race of the season where he broke NASCAR Hall of Famer and four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon’s record as being the youngest person to win a 410 sprint car race.

As his career continued, Briscoe racked up a 2016 ARCA Racing Series championship, winning a series-best six races, 2017 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Sunoco Rookie of the Year and Most Popular Driver, the 2019 NASCAR Xfinity Series Rookie-of-the-Year title with a win, two poles, 13 top fives and 26 top 10s and nine wins during the 2020 Xfinity Series season, the most of any driver that year.

During those years he was a two-time winner at the Iowa Speedway in the 2016 ARCA Menards Series and 2019 Xfinity Series. Those wins helped cement the Newton track as his favorite to go racing on.

“It’s my favorite track that I have ever raced at on pavement,” Briscoe said. “There’s something about that place, since Day One that I went there. It fits my driving style. It’s rough, worn out so you can go anywhere.”

Being in Newton remind him of life growing up in Indiana. The smaller-town feel, friendly environment is one he had enjoyed visiting and he is even more excited now that he gets to race the Cup Series there.

“For me, it reminds me of where I grew up,” Briscoe said. “It is kind of corn fields everywhere, some country life, everybody know everybody, small town environment. There are a ton of race tracks in the area and people flock to them and support them.”

Having spent time at the Knoxville Raceway running on the dirt track through the years, Central Iowa is a well-known friend to Briscoe. With the success he has found here, the upcoming race weekend is like getting together with a good buddy.

“I was pumped to say the least (when I heard the Cup Series was coming to the Iowa Speedway),” Briscoe said. “I’ve been saying forever that we needed to be there and I’m glad it finally happened. It will be nice to get back to Newton and run at Iowa. The fanbase is supportive and a good part of the country that is supportive.”