Briscoe Breaks Through: Scores First Win of Season in Fuel-Saving Masterclass at Pocono

LONG POND, Pa. — Chase Briscoe finally has his 2025 breakthrough.

After months of near-misses and promising speed, Briscoe delivered a clutch performance on Sunday, capturing the win in The Great American Getaway 400 presented by VisitPA.com at Pocono Raceway. The triumph marks Briscoe’s first victory of the season—and the third of his NASCAR Cup Series career—as he officially punched his ticket to the Playoffs in his debut season with Joe Gibbs Racing.

Briscoe, 30, held off his JGR teammate and Pocono’s all-time winningest driver Denny Hamlin over the final 34 laps in a tense fuel-conservation battle, crossing the line just 0.682 seconds ahead. Ryan Blaney, who started at the rear due to post-qualifying adjustments, surged through the field to finish third.

“There was a lot of pressure,” Briscoe said after the race. “I wasn’t driving all-out, I was saving fuel the whole time with Denny breathing down my neck. But we finally executed a complete race.”

Briscoe started sixth, led a race-high 72 of 160 laps, and survived seven cautions on a hot Pennsylvania afternoon. The win ends a frustrating stretch of close calls despite earning four poles and leading laps in eight different events this season.

Hamlin, who led 32 laps, started on the pole and won Stage 1. The veteran driver returned from a one-week break for the birth of his son and nearly added to his record seven Pocono wins.

“It just didn’t work out for us this time,” Hamlin said. “We were in position, just came up a little short. Still a strong day for the team.”

Blaney’s third-place run was equally impressive. He overcame an equipment failure with his cool suit and the penalty of starting last to score his fifth top-five finish of the season.

Chris Buescher, who started second, finished fourth, while Chase Elliott claimed fifth for his second straight top-five. Rounding out the top ten were John Hunter Nemechek, Kyle Larson, Ryan Preece, Brad Keselowski, and Austin Cindric.

With nine races remaining before the Playoffs, Briscoe becomes the 11th driver to lock in a postseason berth. He’s the sixth different winner in the last eight weeks—underscoring a volatile and competitive summer stretch.

“It’s just such a weight off my shoulders,” Briscoe said. “I’ve been telling my wife all month that I had to win. To finally do it—especially at a place like Pocono—is incredible.”

William Byron, who still holds the series points lead, had a rough day after a qualifying crash forced him to start at the rear. He rallied briefly but finished a disappointing 27th.

The series now turns its attention to Atlanta Motor Speedway for next Saturday night’s Quaker State 400—the first race of the five-event In-Season Bracket Challenge. Joe Gibbs Racing’s Christopher Bell won in Atlanta earlier this season; Joey Logano is the defending winner of the summer race.