By Seth Eggert, NASCAR Writer
After dominating the 2016 ARCA Racing Series season, Chase Briscoe now has a new challenge on the horizon. The NextEra Energy Resources 200 at Daytona International Speedway on Friday, February 24, will mark his NASCAR Camping World Truck Series debut.
In 22 career starts in the ARCA Racing Series, Briscoe has six wins, 15 top fives, 20 Top 10s, and six pole positions. Briscoe’s average start during his time in ARCA was 4.2, with an average finish of 5.4. Of the 3082 laps he completed, Briscoe was out front for 989 laps, an average of 30.7 percent of the time.
Briscoe arrives at Brad Keselowski Racing in the No. 29 Cooper Standard Ford F-150 through Ford’s driver development program. He joins fellow rookie Austin Cindric who will pilot the team’s No. 19 Draw-Tite Ford F-150 entry. This is the first time that both of Brad Keselowski Racing’s drivers are contenders for Rookie of the Year.
On top of the pit box for Briscoe will be veteran crew chief Mike Hillman Jr. who led Todd Bodine to victory lane at Daytona in 2008 and 2009. Hillman has 20 career victories as a crew chief in the Truck Series. His most recent came with Jeb Burton in 2013 at Texas Motor Speedway.
When asked, Briscoe thought it was an honor just to be able to run at Daytona,
“I’m really looking forward to making my first start in the Truck Series. It’s such an honor to be able to run at Daytona in any racecar, but to be able to do it in one of NASCAR’s top-three series and to be driving for a Cup champion is truly a blessing and a dream come true.”
Briscoe was also quick to point out his previous superspeedway experience may help,
“Daytona is different than any other place we go; running there in the past with ARCA will definitely be beneficial in the Truck Series race. Seat time in anything helps anywhere you go. My Cooper Standard Ford F-150 and the ARCA car will drive totally different, but I think it will still help just knowing the characteristics of the place and how superspeedway racing plays out.”
Briscoe and his Brad Keselowski Racing team will now look forward to the season opener at Daytona where the new stage format makes its’ debut in the Truck race.
