Aussie helps Briscoe take key win

Chase Briscoe has added his name to the winner’s list of the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series after claiming a tense Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono.
The “Tricky Triangle” lived up to its name as it became a fuel-saving stoush, and with the help of Australian crew chief James Small, Briscoe emerged on top.
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver claimed his first win at the famous Toyota team after a strong performance in Long Pond.
He led a race-high 72 laps, but had to fend off a charging teammate in Denny Hamlin, who happens to be the most successful driver at Pocono.
Hamlin led 32 laps and won the opening stage and came within half a second of his teammate, but could not quite get close enough to steal the lead.
Briscoe was releived to get over the line having to fuel save and was thrilled to take a win for JGR.
“It was a lot. It was kind of weird,” Briscoe said.
“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.
“Anybody that has worked with me knows I’m normally overdriving, missing my marks all the time.
“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.
“Joe Gibbs Racing took a big chance on me. I wasn’t everybody’s first choice I think.
“But for me to be able to get here and finally deliver a win is just an awesome feeling.
“To get Coach in Victory Lane, it’s so rewarding, truthfully. Just a big weight off my shoulders.
“I literally grew up racing my sprint car video game in a Joe Gibbs Racing Home Depot uniform.
“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.”
Hamlin started from pole and gave it a red-hot crack and was pleased with the effort from the team.
“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.”
The race carried plenty of potential for Shane van Gisbergen.
Boosted by his win in Mexico, van Gisbergen matched his personal best qualifying effort on an oval with 23rd.
But as the race went on, SVG struggled for pace and drifted back.
To make matters worse, there was pain on pit road.
After AJ Allmendinger overshot his pit box, van Gisbergen clipped the tyre and it hit one of the Kiwi’s unlucky crew.
There was struggles soon on track as SVG spun not once, but twice.
Van Gisbergen first spun in evasive action from the crashing Kyle Busch as the Kiwi got caught up with Christopher Bell.
The Trackhouse Racing driver carried on before another spin coming out of turn 1 saw the #88 back into the wall.
These moments restricted van Gisbergen to a 31st finish.
NASCAR Cup Series carries on at Echopark Speedway for the Quaker State 400 at Georgia.
It marks the first leg of a five-race mid-season challenge that has been introduced in 2025.
Photo by Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images
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