Now, the driver of the No. 19 Toyota is hoping to replicate what “Smoke” accomplished in 2011 when he stunned the racing world by rallying to win the NASCAR Cup Series championship by winning five of 10 playoff races, including the season finale at Homestead to register one of the sport’s biggest comebacks.
asserted
he → hop → comebacks
“He made a pretty unbelievable run, and hopefully we can do the same thing,” Briscoe said of Stewart.
asserted
Briscoe → make → Stewart
That included Sunday when he edged out Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Christopher Bell by .029 seconds to win the second closest race in Charlotte Motor Speedway’s 66-year history.
asserted
he → include → history
He also won the previous week at Las Vegas.
asserted
He → win → Vegas
The wins have vaulted Chase back into the “Chase.”
Two weeks ago Briscoe was 123 points behind playoff points leader Kyle Larson.
asserted
Briscoe → vault → Larson
He’s since trimmed that deficit to 65 with four races remaining before a champion is crowned.
asserted
champion → trim → 65
Denny Hamlin, at 49 points back, and Bell, 51 back, also remain ahead of Briscoe heading into the stretch run.
asserted
Hamlin → remain → run
Now it’s just a matter of whether it’s too little, too late for Briscoe.
asserted
it → ’ → Briscoe
“I think we are certainly in contention,” Briscoe said.
asserted
Briscoe → think → contention
“We probably need to win another race or two, but we at least put ourselves in the ballgame.
asserted
we → need → ballgame
That’s all you can ask for.”
asserted
you → ’ → ?
Briscoe lamented four laps in the playoffs which he said have cost him 75 points due to miscues.
asserted
he → lament → miscues
But he added the focus is on next week when the circuit heads to Phoenix.
asserted
circuit → add → Phoenix
“We never know how it’s going to look in four weeks from now but just have to go to the racetrack and keep winning races ultimately, and if we can do that, the points are going to be what they’re going to be at the end,” he said.
asserted
he → know → end
Briscoe’s crew chief James Small is hoping to seize on the momentum from the two wins.
asserted
chief → hop → wins
“I think we’ve got to step on their throats while we can,” Small said.
asserted
Small → think → throats
“I’m not going to let off the throttle pedal right now.”
asserted
I → go → pedal
When asked if the mild-mannered Briscoe was the type to step on someone’s throat, Small laughed and said, “Definitely not.”
asserted
Small → ask → throat
But then Small added, “When he puts his helmet on and he’s silent, but he’s like a silent assassin.”
asserted
he → add → assassin
Briscoe got a chuckle when informed of Small’s comments after the race.
asserted
Briscoe → get → race
“You can be a nice guy outside of the race car, but in the race car I think you have to be a killer,” Briscoe said.
asserted
Briscoe → think → car
“For us, that’s the whole approach.”
asserted
that → ’ → us
Briscoe is expected to continue his “ultra aggressive” approach next week.
asserted
Briscoe → expect → approach
“The only way you’re going to cut into the gap is by winning races,” Briscoe said.
asserted
Briscoe → go → races
“If you just run second or third and Larson runs second or third with you, like you’re not going to gain 65 points in four weeks.
asserted
you → run → weeks
Yeah, just have to go win races and just have to be ultra aggressive truthfully and try to do everything we can in our power, and if it’s enough, it’ll be enough at the end.”
asserted
it → have → end
Larson’s crew chief Cliff Daniels told reporters that Sunday was a good reality check for his team that the season isn’t over.
asserted
season → tell → team
Larson finished sixth on Sunday, marking the first time he has finished outside of the top five in the postseason.
asserted
he → finish → postseason
Still, he was able to add nine points to his lead over the second place Hamlin.
asserted
he → add → Hamlin
But Briscoe is the driver that clearly has his attention.
asserted
that → have → attention
“I won’t feel comfortable until it’s over,” Larson said.
asserted
Larson → feel → ?
“Obviously, Briscoe winning and having a good day; you can take big chunks out of (the lead) if you win.
asserted
you → win → lead
We’re going to go to some tracks where others are really good coming up, so we just have to keep putting together days like (Sunday).
asserted
we → go → Sunday
We weren’t the fastest, but we got good points.”
asserted
we → get → points
The Aporia
