Moments after securing the pole position for the Brickyard 400 at his home track, Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS), Chase Briscoe was riding a wave of momentum and emotion.
The Indiana native grew up dreaming of racing at IMS and securing the Busch Light Pole Award for the 2025 Brickyard 400, which was a dream moment at his home track. Briscoe, who grew up just a few hours from the Speedway, put down a blistering lap to secure the top starting spot for Sunday’s race.
Championship Still Reigns Supreme for Chase Briscoe
During a press conference at IMS, Briscoe was thrown a curveball: If he could only win one, this race or a Cup Series championship, what would he choose?
Faced with the impossible choice, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver took a deep breath before answering candidly, giving fans a glimpse into both his heart and long-term aspirations.
Briscoe replied, “Oh man. I’d probably have to say I’d have to pick the title. You know, just winning a championship is such a big deal. But I mean, yeah, I think I even said it yesterday in one of the press media things. You know, outside of winning a championship, I can’t think of anything I would be more excited to win in this race.”
Though the Cup championship edged it out, Briscoe made it clear that Indy will always hold a special place in his heart, far above even NASCAR’s most iconic race.
Briscoe added, “So, yeah, if you put it up against a championship, I’d probably take the championship. But yeah, like I would put this over the Daytona 500, you know, for me or any other race on the schedule. But yeah, Championship would be hard to pass up.”
For Briscoe, the pole at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway isn’t just a stat. It’s the realization of a childhood dream. Raised in Mitchell, Indiana, the Brickyard was the place that inspired him to chase racing greatness. Now, as he prepares to lead the field to green at one of the most historic tracks in the sport, he stands on the verge of turning that dream into a reality.
With the pole, Briscoe has become the first Indiana-born native to claim the Brickyard 400 pole since Ryan Newman achieved the same feat in 2013. The pole was also his fifth Cup Series pole of the 2025 NASCAR season. The No. 19 driver’s first since Michigan International Speedway in June