Stewart-Haas Racing‘s 15-year story in NASCAR will come to an finish in simply ten weeks, however after a miracle second in Darlington, the group’s 323 staff have one thing combat for till that day comes: the Cup Sequence championship.
These staff have been on the forefront of Chase Briscoe‘s thoughts as he stood on the entrance stretch, celebrating his inconceivable victory within the Southern 500.
“To get this 14 automotive again in victory lane — and for all 320-something staff, to have the ability to race for a championship of their remaining yr, it’s unbelievable,” he mentioned.
“The day that we discovered that the group wasn’t gonna exist anymore, we went over to the store ground, and all of us checked out one another and mentioned, ‘We’re on this till the top. We’re not gonna quit.’ We saved saying all week that we had one bullet left within the chamber — and that bullet hit.”
Watch: Chase Briscoe fends off Kyle Busch to win, clinch playoff spot at Darlington
Out of a job, however within the hunt for a title
Briscoe’s crew chief Richard Boswell gave a candid perspective on what it is like contained in the SHR store because the clock nears midnight whereas nonetheless attempting to compete on the highest stage of the game.
“For these of us which have been there for fairly a while, it’s unhappy, proper? It sucks. That is household. Each worker there I’d have at Christmas dinner,” he mentioned. “I believe the battle and the issue that’s include it has been, we now have a job to do, and that hasn’t modified.
“I can’t let you know what number of guys I’ve in my workplace each week questioning, the place ought to I’m going? I’m apprehensive about my future.
“It’s important to have these conversations, simply from an empathy standpoint. It’s important to take these guys in and allow them to know that you just care. That’s simply added extra work and extra hours. I’d say that’s been the largest distinction — simply attempting to be aware of what all people goes via, but additionally know we now have a job to do, [and to] attempt to do our greatest to convey the perfect vehicles we are able to each week.”
Watch: Boswell eyes Atlanta as Briscoe’s shot to advance into Spherical of 12
As Briscoe ends his seven years with Stewart-Haas on a excessive notice, he is one of many few together with his future safe, having signed with Joe Gibbs Racing to drive the No. 19 Toyota Camry subsequent yr. However the future will not be practically as sure for a lot of of those that work at SHR.
Making Tony proud
Stewart-Haas Racing, co-owned by Gene Haas and Tony Stewart, have received two championships within the NASCAR Cup Sequence. The primary got here in 2011 with Stewart driving, and the second in 2014 with Kevin Harvick. Till Briscoe’s huge Darlington end edged him into the playoffs, SHR had no drivers within the playoffs and nil wins over the previous two seasons — regardless of operating a big four-car group.
Apart from breaking a drought, when Briscoe crossed the end line, he introduced the group full-circle. Not solely was that the group’s seventieth victory within the Cup Sequence, it got here within the No. 14 automotive, pushed by Stewart, that earned the group its very first win again in 2009. And Briscoe is a self-proclaimed “diehard fan” of his long-time boss.
“That’s the automotive I cheered for rising up,” mentioned Briscoe after the race. “I’ve seen that automotive win time and time and time once more, [and] win a championship. It’s been 90-something races since that automotive has been in Victory Lane … A minimum of now we now have an opportunity to go win a championship. We don’t have any Playoff factors or something like that … I type of love the back-up-against-the-wall factor. That’s actually what we’re going to have now.”
After the win, Briscoe received a name from Smoke himself, congratulating him on that Southern 500 triumph.
“Tony referred to as,” mentioned Briscoe. “Simply to listen to how excited he’s … From a morale standpoint, it’s big at our constructing. It’s been robust. It’s undoubtedly only a bizarre time proper now. For me to be there for seven years and be like household with loads of these guys, it means quite a bit.
