Chase Briscoe celebrates in victory lane after winning Sunday’s NASCAR Cup Series race at Phoenix Raceway. Photo: Sean Gardner/Getty Images
There was no shortage of motivation as three drivers all vying for their first-career victory in the marquee NASCAR Cup Series decided the dramatic outcome at Phoenix Raceway on Sunday afternoon.
Chase Briscoe had to hold off the field on not one, not two, but three late race restarts on the one-mile desert oval, including the final restart with three laps remaining to earn his first career NASCAR Cup Series win.
The 27-year-old Briscoe is the 200th different winner in NASCAR’s premier series, earning the victory- by .771-seconds over Ross Chastain in only his 40th start.
“It’s unbelievable,’’ said Briscoe, who drives the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford.
“I was crying the whole last lap. This is definitely a team win, but I’ve got to thank everybody that’s got me to this point. Just seven years ago I was sleeping on couches, volunteering at race shops and was literally driving home to give up.
“Unbelievable,’’ he continued, smiling. “So blessed to be here driving for this organization this team and this car that was my hero’s (NASCAR Hall of Famer Tony Stewart) growing up.
“To everybody that’s believed in me, it’s unbelievable.’’
Fast pit stops for Briscoe’s John Klausmeier led crew helped all day. His 101 laps out front was second only to pole-winner Ryan Blaney’s 144 laps led. But Briscoe certainly had to earn this win on track holding off the field on those late race restarts with cars sometimes fanning out seven-wide in the frenetic shuffle to the front.
Chastain and Tyler Reddick took Briscoe three-wide on the final restart – all fueled by the motivation of that first win, but Briscoe’s Ford was able to drive away leaving them to settle runner-up between themselves.
Chastain’s runner-up finish is his second consecutive top-three finish. Reddick placed third, followed by Blaney in fourth and Kurt Busch in fifth.
“That was so much fun to get to race like that at this level,’’ Chastain said, adding of the last lap competition, “That’s so cool to race with Tyler and Chase. That’s everything I’ve ever wanted.”
Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, Daniel Suarez, and Chris Buescher rounded out the top 10.
Reigning NASCAR Cup Series champion Kyle Larson, who ran up front for much of the race, suffered a DNF – pitting with 74 laps remaining with what his crew diagnosed as a broken valve spring. Larson was officially scored 34th – the second sub-30th place finish of the season, including a crash that left him 32nd in the Daytona 500.
Larson already scored a victory at Auto Club Speedway this season, however, and is still ranked fourth in the points behind new leader Logano. Kyle Busch is third, five points back.
Both Hendrick Motorsports’ William Byron and Penske’s Blaney earned their first Stage wins of the season. There were 15 lead changes among six drivers.
A late spin left Dawsonville, Georgia’s Chase Elliott with an 11th place finish.
NASCAR Cup Series
Phoenix Raceway – Avondale, AZ
Ruoff Mortgage 500 – March 13, 2022
1. (6) Chase Briscoe, Ford, 312.
2. (17) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 312.
3. (12) Tyler Reddick, Chevrolet, 312.
4. (1) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 312.
5. (15) Kurt Busch, Toyota, 312.
6. (16) Kevin Harvick, Ford, 312.
7. (11) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 312.
8. (10) Joey Logano, Ford, 312.
9. (23) Daniel Suarez, Chevrolet, 312.
10. (26) Chris Buescher, Ford, 312.
11. (19) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 312.
12. (5) Aric Almirola, Ford, 312.
13. (2) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 312.
14. (9) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 312.
15. (21) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 312.
16. (25) Cole Custer, Ford, 312.
17. (28) Justin Haley, Chevrolet, 312.
18. (3) William Byron, Chevrolet, 312.
19. (33) Todd Gilliland #, Ford, 312.
20. (29) A.J. Allmendinger(i), Chevrolet, 312.
21. (13) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, Accident, 311.
22. (27) Bubba Wallace, Toyota, 311.
23. (18) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 311.
24. (8) Austin Cindric #, Ford, 311.
25. (14) Erik Jones, Chevrolet, 311.
26. (4) Christopher Bell, Toyota, 310.
27. (22) Michael McDowell, Ford, 310.
28. (36) Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., Chevrolet, 310.
29. (24) Harrison Burton #, Ford, 309.
30. (31) Landon Cassill(i), Chevrolet, 308.
31. (32) Cody Ware, Ford, 307.
32. (35) Garrett Smithley, Ford, 305.
33. (34) B.J. McLeod, Ford, 304.
34. (7) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, Engine, 239.
35. (20) Martin Truex, Jr., Toyota, Accident, 219.
36. (30) Corey LaJoie, Chevrolet, Accident, 45.
Average Speed of Race Winner: 100.339 mph.
Time of Race: 3 Hrs, 6 Mins, 34 Secs. Margin of Victory: .771 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 8 for 52 laps.
Lead Changes: 14 among 6 drivers.
Lap Leaders: R. Blaney 1-27;K. Larson 28;J. Logano 29-32;C. Briscoe 33-51;W. Byron 52-63;K. Larson 64;R. Blaney 65-121;C. Elliott 122-132;R. Blaney 133-189;C. Elliott 190-224;R. Blaney 225;C. Elliott 226-229;C. Briscoe 230-287;R. Blaney 288;C. Briscoe 289-312.
Leaders Summary: (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led) Ryan Blaney 5 times for 143 laps; Chase Briscoe 3 times for 101 laps; Chase Elliott 3 times for 50 laps; William Byron 1 time for 12 laps; Joey Logano 1 time for 4 laps; Kyle Larson 2 times for 2 laps.
Stage #1 Top Ten: 24,14,9,8,48,20,5,4,22,3
Stage #2 Top Ten: 12,9,4,24,5,8,1,14,3,22
Playoff Standings: 1. Kyle Larson – 126 (1 Win); 2. Chase Briscoe – 126 (1 Win); 3. Austin Cindric – 116 (1 Win); 4. Alex Bowman – 109 (1 Win); 5. Joey Logano – 136; 6. Kyle Busch – 132; 7. Chase Elliott – 131; 8. Aric Almirola – 122; 9. Ryan Blaney – 118; 10. Tyler Reddick – 114; 11. Kevin Harvick – 111; 12. Kurt Busch – 109; 13. Martin Truex, Jr. – 109; 14. Ross Chastain – 101; 15. William Byron – 98; 16. Austin Dillon – 97.
(i) Ineligible for driver points in this series
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