A dramatic conclusion to the NASCAR 2024 regular season unfolded at the Southern 500 in Darlington, where Chase Briscoe delivered a surprise victory that left many, including veteran driver Denny Hamlin, astounded.
On the historic Darlington Raceway, often revered as “The Lady in Black,” Briscoe ended a 93-race winless streak by conquering the 367 laps and 500 miles with a powerful, consistent performance that stunned the racing community.
Briscoe’s success was propelled by a strong qualifying effort on Saturday, which positioned him well for the race. He excelled in short-run scenarios, maintaining a level of performance throughout the 500 miles.
His remarkable handling of restarts during the final stages of the race solidified his win. Emotionally overwhelmed post-race, Briscoe expressed his appreciation for everyone involved with Stewart-Haas Racing, the team that will be closing after this season.
Denny Hamlin, driver of the #11 FedEx Cares Toyota, waves to fans as he walks onstage during driver intros prior to the NASCAR Cup Series Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on August 24, 2024 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Chase Briscoe’s surprising victory at the Southern 500 in Darlington leaves Denny Hamlin and the NASCAR community shocked.
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“For all 320 employees, everybody, to be able to race for a championship in their final year, man, unbelievable. God is just so good. It’s like déjà vu there at the end with Kyle, with the Xfinity race here in 2020. Obviously, I didn’t know if I was going to be able to do it. … This night just literally went perfect. The pit crew did an incredible job. I was crying. After the checkered, I just won the Southern 500, this is a crown jewel.”
Denny Hamlin’s reaction on his Actions Detrimental podcast mirrored the shockwaves Briscoe’s win sent through the NASCAR community.
“Certainly didn’t see this coming. I’m not sure how many top 5s Chase had this year, didn’t seem like many. He was always right around the bubble field kind of mid-summer and then it kind of tapered off to where you knew short of like Bubba [Wallace] or whatever, they were going to have to win. He put himself in the category of going to have to win, and he did.”
He continued:
“We had an awesome race at the end, some wild restarts. Certainly, things got tussled around. The 1 [Ross Chastain] stayed out, that was a big moment in how those last few restarts played out and ultimately the race.”
Briscoe’s victory holds more than its immediate thrill; for Stewart-Haas Racing, this win is a poignant highlight in a season filled with uncertainty due to the team’s impending closure. Over 300 employees will be impacted.
Briscoe’s performance at Darlington not only secured a significant win but also rekindled momentum for his career. As he looks forward to joining Joe Gibbs Racing in 2025 to replace Martin Truex Jr. in the No. 19 Toyota, this victory marks a promising prelude to his new chapter in NASCAR.
