NASCAR News: Briscoe wins ‘Stroker Ace’ Cup race at Pocono

In a fuel mileage ‘Stroker Ace’ nail-biter for the final 30 laps of the NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway, Chase Briscoe held off Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin to score his first win of the 2025 season — locking into the postseason.

It’s the third career victory for the No. 19 Toyota driver and Indiana native and first for JGR in his first season with the team.

Hamlin finished second after leading 32 laps and taking the Stage 1 checkered flag — the sixth time in nine Pocono races the No. 11 driver has finished first or second at the 2.5-mile “Tricky Triangle.”

Ryan Blaney, Chris Buescher and Chase Elliott rounded out the top five behind Briscoe.

John Hunter Nemechek, Kyle Larson, Ryan Preece, Brad Keselowski and Austin Cindric completed the top 10.

It came down to the suspenseful very final laps, Briscoe having to save as much fuel as possible while maintaining the lead the last 34 laps with Pocono’s all-time winningest driver Hamlin and a two-time Pocono winner, Team Penske’s Ryan Blaney directly in his rearview mirror, pushing him lap after lap.

But Briscoe did it – perfectly executing throttle control to maintain the lead and not run his Toyota Camry out of gas – ultimately beating Hamlin across the line by .682-second to formally punch his win-and-in 2025 Playoff ticket. The 30-year-old Indiana-native led a race best 72 of the 160 laps on the day and even had enough fuel for the well-deserved victory celebration.

“There was a lot [of pressure],” a smiling Briscoe conceded. “It was kind of weird. I wasn’t driving hard so it’s not like I was on the ragged edge, but it was just so hard having a guy chasing you, especially the guy that’s the greatest of all time here, to be trying to save fuel and everything else.

“Just an amazing day for our race team,” he continued, “Really the first race we’ve executed all year long.”

Hamlin, a three-time winner this year who is returning to competition after missing last week’s Mexico City race to be home in North Carolina for the birth of his son, showed why he is a seven-time Pocono winner, the track’s all-time best. His runner-up finish marks the 10th time he’s finished first or second at the unique 2.5-mile three-turn Pocono oval. He won in 2023 and now has finished second in the two races since.

“It was definitely going to be difficult,” said Hamlin, who started on pole position, won the opening stage and led 32 laps. “The team did a great job and we were next best in line of our strategy, it just didn’t work out.”

“We’re really strong and not showing up with any weaknesses right now, really proud of the effort we put forth,” he continued. “Just love to get more wins but still overall a good solid day for us, now we move on to the next series of races.”

Blaney, who earned his first career NASCAR Cup Series victory at Pocono in 2017 and answered with a win last year, also had a great strategic day pay off with his third-place finish – especially impressive considering he started from the back of the grid after making adjustments on his car following qualifying. And. … his rally came in a problematic cool-suit that forced him to run more than 100 laps without the device working correctly on the steamy hot summer afternoon.

RFK Racing driver Chris Buescher, who like Blaney earned his first career NASCAR Cup Series win at Pocono (2016), started his No. 17 Ford on the outside of the front row and was among the day’s nine leaders – ultimately finishing fourth. Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott was fifth with back-to-back top-five finishes for the first time this year.

Briscoe’s victory – the third of his career – makes him the 11th driver to earn a position in the 16-driver Playoff field – the sixth different in just the last eight weeks.

“To finally deliver a win is such an awesome feeling. … such a big weight off my shoulders,” Briscoe said. “I’ve been telling my wife the last few weeks, I have to win and so to come here and do, it is a great day.”

Legacy Motor Club’s John Hunter Nemechek finished sixth, followed by Hendrick Motorsport’s Kyle Larson, RFK’s Ryan Preece and RFK owner-driver Brad Keselowski. Team Penske’s Austin Cindric rounded out the top-10.

Hendrick Motorsports driver William Byron started from the rear of the field after a qualifying accident, moved forward at one point, but ultimately took a 27th-place finish. He still leads the NASCAR Cup Series championship standings by 54 points over his teammate Larson.

With nine races remaining to set the Playoff field, Hendrick’s Alex Bowman sits in that 16th-place position, 20-points up on Preece for that final points-only transfer position.

Chase Briscoe

Chase, what was going through your mind saving fuel, holding off your teammate, Denny Hamlin? What pressure was that behind the wheel?

CHASE BRISCOE: It was a lot. It was kind of weird. I wasn’t driving hard. It’s not like I was on the ragged edge. It was so hard to have a guy chasing you, right, probably the guy that’s the greatest of all time here. Trying to save fuel and everything else.

Thank you to all you race fans. It’s sold out every single time we come here. Unbelievable racing in front of a sold-out crowd. Amazing day for our race team. Really the first race we’ve kind of executed truthfully all year long. To get Bass Pro Shops, Johnny Morris, in Victory Lane, to get Toyota in Victory Lane.

Joe Gibbs Racing took a big chance on me. Like, I wasn’t everybody’s first choice I think. Yeah, but for me to be able to get here and finally deliver a win is just an awesome feeling.

Most disciplined stint you every drove in your career?

CHASE BRISCOE: Anybody that has worked with me knows I’m normally overdriving, missing my marks all the time. Yeah, for sure. It’s crazy when you slow down. My dad tells me all the time, Slow down, you’ll probably go faster. It’s true there.

Amazing day. Just want to say hi to Marissa, Brooks, Cooper, Collins. Wish they were here to celebrate this. It’s an amazing day. Once again, thank you to you all you race fans.

How gratifying is it to add your name to the list of drivers that have won a Cup Series race for Joe Gibbs Racing?

CHASE BRISCOE: It’s huge. I literally grew up racing my sprint car video game in a Joe Gibbs Racing Home Depot uniform. To get Coach in Victory Lane after, like I said, them taking a chance on me, it’s so rewarding truthfully. Just a big weight off my shoulders. I’ve been telling my wife the last two weeks, I have to win. To finally come here and do it, it has been a great day.

2025 Great American Getaway 400 Race Results