Cup Series: Briscoe dominates the Southern 500 amidst late pressure from Reddick

Written by Sean McKean

Credit: Logan Riely / Getty Images via NASCAR

In a complete domination, Chase Briscoe led 309 laps en route to a second victory of the season that locked him into the next round of the playoffs in Darlington. This came amidst great pressure from Tyler Reddick and Erik Jones behind, who kept it up all the way to the chequered flag. It was also his second victory in the Southern 500.

As it unfolded

Alongside teammate Chase Briscoe, Denny Hamlin led the field to the green flag and lost the lead to Briscoe. But it only took one corner to see major playoff implications.

Coming out of Turn 2, Josh Berry’s car bottomed out, which saw him hook Tyler Reddick into the outside wall whilst Berry himself slammed the outside and inside wall. In the melee, Chris Buescher and Kyle Busch received some sort of damage. Of those involved, only Berry went out of the race.

Briscoe restarted the race as leader on Lap 7 with little challenge from Hamlin.

All things remained clean until green flag pit stops started on Lap 35. Once everything cycled out, Briscoe retained his lead with Ross Chastain behind.

The next batch of cycles underwent on Lap 73. Other than a slow stop for Alex Bowman, little of note happened here, with Briscoe keeping a steady lead over Hamlin.

Briscoe hung on to win the first stage. Tyler Reddick and Denny Hamlin followed behind.

Stage 1 Results:

1. No. 19 - Chase Briscoe (Joe Gibbs Racing) [Playoffs]

2. No. 45 - Tyler Reddick (23XI Racing) [Playoffs]

3. No. 11 - Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing) [Playoffs]

4. No. 1 - Ross Chastain (Trackhouse Racing) [Playoffs]

5. No. 23 - Bubba Wallace (23XI Racing) [Playoffs]

6. No. 5 - Kyle Larson (Hendrick Motorsports) [Playoffs]

7. No. 20 - Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing) [Playoffs]

8. No. 2 - Austin Cindric (Team Penske) [Playoffs]

9. No. 42 - John Hunter Nemechek (Legacy Motor Club)

10. No. 12 - Ryan Blaney (Team Penske) [Playoffs]

Everyone elected to pit during the stage break. Briscoe came out first followed by Hamlin and Ross Chastain.

Briscoe led the field away on Lap 123 with Hamlin evenly alongside. After a lap of battle and a bit of contact, Hamlin muscled his way into the lead. 

Although Hamlin kept the lead for a number of laps, Briscoe clearly had a better car, and it showed when the defending Southern 500 winner made his way by his teammate on Lap 132.

The caution came out on Lap 152 for the second time. This was for an unassisted spin from Carson Hocevar off Turn 4. He drove away without damage.

Given that this fell right at the pit cycle, everyone chose to pit here. Briscoe again came out first followed by Chastain and Reddick. Denny Hamlin notably fell all the way down the pack with a painfully slow stop.

Briscoe controlled the Lap 158 restart.

Lap 187 saw green flag pit stops begin. Briscoe cycled out as leader followed by Reddick and Erik Jones.

Another caution came out on Lap 203. This was for Cody Ware, who received a tap from Ryan Preece on the backstretch and went for a spin. 

The dominant Briscoe led the field back on Lap 209, but after only one lap of racing, Ryan Blaney went for a spin on the frontstretch and brought out the caution.

Only a few laps remained when Briscoe led the restart once again. He held this position until stage’s end followed by Reddick and Erik Jones.

Stage 2 Results:

1. No. 19 - Chase Briscoe (Joe Gibbs Racing) [Playoffs]

2. No. 45 - Tyler Reddick (23XI Racing) [Playoffs]

3. No. 43 - Erik Jones (Legacy Motor Club)

4. No. 5 - Kyle Larson (Hendrick Motorsports) [Playoffs]

5. No. 16 - AJ Allmendinger (Kaulig Racing)

6. No. 1 - Ross Chastain (Trackhouse Racing) [Playoffs]

7. No. 23 - Bubba Wallace (23XI Racing) [Playoffs]

8. No. 42 - John Hunter Nemechek (Legacy Motor Club)

9. No. 60 - Ryan Preece (RFK Racing)

10. No. 24 - William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports) [Playoffs]

Everyone elected to pit during the final stage break. Briscoe won the race out followed by Reddick and AJ Allmendinger.

Briscoe led at the restart on Lap 238, but Tyler Reddick got a great jump to steal the lead away. However, Briscoe got the run only two laps later to take the lead back.

The penultimate round of pit stops began on Lap 274. Briscoe retained his lead over Reddick once everything cycled.

With only 54 laps remaining, Reddick began reeling in leader Briscoe ahead, but the caution came out before he came within striking distance. At pit entrance, Derek Kraus’ car caught fire – causing him to come to a stop on the racing surface.

Everyone came down pit road for a pivotal possibly final stop. Briscoe maintained his lead followed by Reddick and John Hunter Nemechek. 

Briscoe led the 48-to-go restart. 

Once again, however, Reddick’s car came alive on the long run and started to reel in the Joe Gibbs driver. With 21 laps to go, both Reddick and Jones close within one second of Briscoe with Nemechek only 1.4 seconds back.

With eight laps remaining, Briscoe ran too high and hit the wall, allowing both Reddick and Jones to close within two car lengths. This pressure remained until the very last corner.

But it proved not to be enough, as Chase Briscoe sailed to his second win of the season and second Southern 500.

Provisional Results:

1. No. 19 - Chase Briscoe (Joe Gibbs Racing) [Playoffs]

2. No. 45 - Tyler Reddick (23XI Racing) [Playoffs]

3. No. 43 - Erik Jones (Legacy Motor Club)

4. No. 42 - John Hunter Nemechek (Legacy Motor Club)

5. No. 16 - AJ Allmendinger (Kaulig Racing)

6. No. 23 - Bubba Wallace (23XI Racing) [Playoffs]

7. No. 11 - Denny Hamlin (Joe Gibbs Racing) [Playoffs]

8. No. 8 - Kyle Busch (Richard Childress Racing)

9. No. 77 - Carson Hocevar (Spire Motorsports)

10. No. 17 - Chris Buescher (RFK Racing)

11. No. 1 - Ross Chastain (Trackhouse Racing) [Playoffs]

12. No. 2 - Austin Cindric (Team Penske) [Playoffs]

13. No. 38 - Zane Smith (Front Row Motorsports)

14. No. 4 - Noah Gragson (Front Row Motorsports)

15. No. 6 - Brad Keselowski (RFK Racing)

16. No. 60 - Ryan Preece (RFK Racing)

17. No. 9 - Chase Elliott (Hendrick Motorsports) [Playoffs]

18. No. 12 - Ryan Blaney (Team Penske) [Playoffs]

19. No. 5 - Kyle Larson (Hendrick Motorsports) [Playoffs]

20. No. 22 - Joey Logano (Team Penske) [Playoffs]

21. No. 24 - William Byron (Hendrick Motorsports) [Playoffs]

22. No. 54 - Ty Gibbs (Joe Gibbs Racing)

23. No. 3 - Austin Dillon (Richard Childress Racing) [Playoffs]

24. No. 41 - Cole Custer (Haas Factory Team)

25. No. 99 - Daniel Suarez (Trackhouse Racing) +1 lap

26. No. 34 - Todd Gilliland (Front Row Motorsports) +1 lap

27. No. 7 - Justin Haley (Spire Motorsports) +1 lap

28. No. 35 - Riley Herbst (23XI Racing) +1 lap

29. No. 20 - Christopher Bell (Joe Gibbs Racing) +2 laps [Playoffs]

30. No. 47 - Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (Hyak Motorsports) +2 laps

31. No. 48 - Alex Bowman (Hendrick Motorsports) +2 laps [Playoffs]

32. No. 88 - Shane van Gisbergen (Trackhouse Racing) +2 laps [Playoffs]

33. No. 71 - Michael McDowell (Spire Motorsports) +2 laps

34. No. 10 - Ty Dillon (Kaulig Racing) +2 laps

35. No. 66 - Timmy Hill (Garage 66) +2 laps

36. No. 44 - Derek Kraus (NY Racing) [DNF]

37. No. 51 - Cody Ware (Rick Ware Racing) [DNF]

38. No. 21 - Josh Berry (Wood Brothers Racing) [DNF] [Playoffs]

In a race filled with issues for playoff drivers, the playoff grid after race one of three in the round is as follows:

Provisional Playoff Grid:

1. No. 19 - Chase Briscoe: [ADVANCED]

2. No. 11 - Denny Hamlin: +43

3. No. 5 - Kyle Larson: +38

4. No. 45 - Tyler Reddick: +35

5. No. 23 - Bubba Wallace: +25

6. No. 24 - William Byron: +25

7. No. 12 - Ryan Blaney: +22

8. No. 1 - Ross Chastain: +21

9. No. 2 - Austin Cindric: +12

10. No. 20 - Christopher Bell: +11

11. No. 9 - Chase Elliott: +9

12. No. 88 - Shane van Gisbergen: +3

PLAYOFF CUT-LINE

13. No. 22 - Joey Logano: -3

14. No. 3 - Austin Dillon: -8

15. No. 48 - Alex Bowman: -19

16. No. 21 - Josh Berry: -19