A prestigious race returns to the NASCAR schedule on Sunday as Cup Series teams take on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval. This race is a prime opportunity for Chase Briscoe, who hails from the state of Indiana.
Briscoe already has one win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, albeit in a different series. He won the inaugural Xfinity Series race on the Indianapolis road course in 2020. Now he will pursue a win during his first Cup start on the 2.5-mile oval.
This opportunity to compete in a Cup Series race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is something Briscoe does not take for granted. There is an obvious connection considering that he grew up 90 miles south of the track.
There is also extra meaning considering an upcoming change in Briscoe's life. He will depart the No. 14 Ford after the 2024 season ends and he will move over to Joe Gibbs Racing. He will pull the reverse Tony Stewart.
"It's definitely more significant going to the oval, so it'll be really special for me, personally, just to get to run a Brickyard 400," Briscoe said. "That was something I didn't know that I was ever going to get the opportunity to do.
"With how it all kind of played out with this being the last year of Stewart-Haas, it's really cool just to say I'll get to run the Brickyard 400 in the 14."
The significance of the number aside, Sunday's race also presents an opportunity for Briscoe to move into the playoff picture.
The Stewart-Haas Racing driver is currently below the playoff cutline. He is 75 points behind Ross Chastain after finishing 15th at Pocono Raceway. Briscoe is 48 points behind Bubba Wallace, the first driver outside of a playoff spot.
Five races remain in the regular season, so there is time for Briscoe to potentially point his way into the playoffs with consistent performances. After all, Chastain's cushion decreased by 26 points at Pocono due to a crash and 36th-place finish.
The more straightforward path for Briscoe, one that would mean far more to him, is to win. If he can capture Sunday's Brickyard 400 in his final trip to Indiana with Stewart-Haas Racing, he could lock himself into the postseason while adding a prestigious win to his resume.