The 2024 NASCAR season has showcased Chase Briscoe as one of the most consistent and highly-rated drivers in the garage. However, Sunday’s Kansas Playoff race took a chaotic turn for the Stewart-Haas Racing driver, as he found himself at the center of two high-profile incidents that left two Chevrolet drivers fuming.
The first dramatic moment came late in the third stage when Carson Hocevar‘s race was derailed by a spin involving Briscoe’s No. 14 Ford Mustang. Hocevar, driving the No. 77 Chevy, lost control, and although there was no contact between the two cars, Hocevar was incensed on the team radio, unleashing an expletive-laden rant blaming Briscoe for the incident.
“I didn’t hit anything. Just Chase Briscoe f**ing sucks,”* Hocevar vented. “He did the same thing to the 8 [Kyle Busch].”
The frustration boiled over as Hocevar’s race was ruined, leaving the Spire Motorsports driver bitter about the situation. His anger was echoed by many in the garage who viewed the incident as avoidable.
But Hocevar wasn’t the only Chevy driver left stewing over an encounter with Briscoe. Earlier in the race, two-time NASCAR champion Kyle Busch was vying for the lead when he found himself caught in a tight aero spot while trying to pass Briscoe. Busch’s No. 8 Chevrolet got loose and spun out, wiping out his chance of securing a much-needed victory.
While Busch didn’t outright blame Briscoe for the spin, he hinted post-race that Briscoe’s refusal to give more space was a factor in the incident. Briscoe, running his own race, had left Busch to navigate the top lane, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the spin that effectively ended Busch’s shot at a win.
Briscoe, clearly a fan of Busch, expressed his disappointment in the outcome during his post-race comments, particularly lamenting the missed opportunity for the veteran driver to keep his winning streak alive.
“It didn’t feel like I was trying to do anything. I literally left him the top lane,” Briscoe explained. “These cars, as soon as you get off to the right, especially here when you are running the wall, they just get really loose. I hate it for him. He has been so close all year long, and I’m a Kyle Busch fan and wanted to see him win to keep the streak alive.”
While Briscoe acknowledged the role of the aerodynamics in the Busch incident, he stopped short of fully accepting responsibility. In both cases, the Chevy drivers’ eagerness to overtake Briscoe’s Ford seemed to contribute to the situations. As much as Briscoe’s positioning played a part, the risks taken by the Chevy drivers may have been a factor in their own downfalls.
As the playoff battles continue to heat up, these incidents will undoubtedly remain a hot topic of discussion, with both sides having their perspectives on what unfolded. For Briscoe, it was a day where he was caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, frustrating some of his competitors in the process.
