CONCORD, N.C. -- The Daytona 500 has a reputation as the biggest event on the Cup Series schedule. It's the race that every NASCAR driver wants to win in their career. Yet it ranks behind another for Chase Briscoe.
The Indiana native would much rather celebrate a win at his home track than in Florida.
"I would rather win the Brickyard (400) over a Daytona 500," Briscoe said Friday at Charlotte Motor Speedway.
As someone who grew up two hours away from Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Briscoe has inherent ties to the prestigious racing venue. He grew up watching his hero, Tony Stewart, win races at the 2.5-mile track, and then he began competing there as his career progressed.
Whenever he competes at the track, roughly 500 people from his hometown of Mitchell make the trek to see him in person. This is where Briscoe has some of the loudest cheers in driver intros.
"Every other weekend of the year, when I get announced at driver intros, it's not really cheers, it's not really boos," Briscoe told AltDriver in February. "It's just kind of like I'm just another guy. Even walking through the garage, like I'm just another guy.
"But in Indy, I almost feel like that's what Dale Jr. feels like. Everywhere I go, I'm like the mayor almost; everybody talks to me and tells me where they're from. Indy is a super special weekend for me."
He has experienced success at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, albeit in another series. He won the 2020 Xfinity race on the IMS road course, but he kissed the bricks in front of empty grandstands. His friends and family had to watch from afar due to COVID-19 regulations in NASCAR.
"I'm torn a little bit. Still winning there was incredible, but it was tough, knowing my family was 10 minutes down the road at my cousin's house," Briscoe said.
"I didn't get to experience that at Indy, with my family, my friends - so that part, hopefully, I will win a Brickyard, maybe this year, and get to make up for it."
The Hoosier has only competed in the Brickyard 400 crown jewel race once in his career. His Cup tenure began in 2021 when the series moved to the road course.
It remained there through the 2023 season before the Brickyard 400 finally returned last season. Briscoe finished 24th with the now-inactive Stewart-Haas Racing.
He will have another opportunity this July as the Brickyard 400 returns to the schedule. This time, he will drive for Joe Gibbs Racing, the team that has celebrated five wins in the crown jewel event.