Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been closely observing Chase Briscoe’s development this season, believing the driver is on the verge of a breakthrough. During the pre-race Live From Nashville segment of The Dale Jr. Download, Earnhardt praised Briscoe for his recent improvements, noting that the driver started on the pole at the 1.333-mile Nashville Superspeedway.

Briscoe, who joined Joe Gibbs Racing this season after Stewart-Haas Racing folded last year, struggled with consistency early on, especially in qualifying and race finishes. However, recent results indicate he is gaining momentum in his first year with JGR. This trend has earned attention in the NASCAR community, highlighting Briscoe’s rising to top JGR performance.

Recent Performances Show Rapid Improvement

In the five races leading up to Nashville, Briscoe secured three top-five finishes and one additional top-15: 4th, 15th, 27th, 4th, and 3rd in the Coca-Cola 600. This marked a significant improvement compared to his initial five races with JGR, where he placed 4th, 21st, 14th, 35th, and 17th. Additionally, Briscoe earned his third pole position this season and led the field to green twice in a row, including the Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte the week before Nashville.

Earnhardt explained that earlier in the season, Briscoe had difficulty

“going out there and really commit[ting] to the race car in qualifying,”

which limited his lap times.

(Briscoe) told me that his only problem and the reason why they’ve struggled was he wasn’t able to go out there and really commit to the race car in qualifying, —Dale Earnhardt Jr.

No knock on SHR, but he said that the Joe Gibbs cars just had so much more ability that he’s just not used to. —Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Earnhardt mentioned that not driving the car aggressively enough during qualifying left Briscoe further back on the starting grid, forcing him to recover from difficult positions during races. This pattern contributed to subpar finishes, which then negatively impacted his qualifying opportunities in a cycle that was challenging to reverse. However, Earnhardt sees a shift occurring.

(With) these last few weeks’ great qualifying efforts, he’s starting to realize how to get this car around the racetrack to be able to get that better starting position, better pit selection, better finishes. End result: he starts qualifying in a better position every weekend and continues to progress, —Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Earnhardt Predicts Briscoe Will Rival Hamlin and Bell Soon

Earnhardt went on to commend Briscoe’s potential, forecasting that the young driver will soon perform on par with JGR teammates Christopher Bell and Denny Hamlin. Bell has secured three wins this season, while Hamlin has two, setting a high bar within the team.

I think it took longer for us than we anticipated for that team to get going, but I’m not surprised and won’t be surprised to see him running as well as Denny and C.(Christopher) Bell over the next several weeks. —Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Briscoe shared that his recent performance did not come as a surprise, especially after feeling how well the car handled during practice sessions.

It was the best driving car of my life here, —Chase Briscoe

He noted the car’s improvements in grip, handling, and speed, all of which eased his driving responsibilities significantly. Briscoe reflected on his previous team experience, pointing out a stark contrast in car performance at Nashville.

“It just drives better, has better grip, turns better, and goes faster. It just makes my job way easier. Honestly, I think that is a lot of it. For whatever reason, at SHR, we just struggled really, really bad here.”

Just comes all down to car at this level, to a certain extent. I’m in, arguably, one of the best cars every single week, so it makes my job a lot easier. —Chase Briscoe

Outlook for Briscoe’s Career at Joe Gibbs Racing

Chase Briscoe’s recent surge demonstrates that his breakthrough with Joe Gibbs Racing is possibly just beginning. With improved qualifying results, stronger race finishes, and encouragement from a legendary figure like Dale Earnhardt Jr., Briscoe is poised to join the ranks of top performers within the team. This progression not only raises expectations for his season but also signals a strengthening competitive edge for JGR in upcoming races.