SHR driver Kevin Harvick – now retired from full-time NASCAR Cup competitors – gained the final two 400-mile races on the IMS oval earlier than the Cup collection started utilizing the IMS Highway Course in 2021.
The return of the oval this 12 months coincides with the ultimate season of SHR, which was based by co-owners Gene Haas and Indiana a local Tony Stewart, himself a two-time winner of the Brickyard 400 when he drove for Joe Gibbs Racing.
The duo introduced in Might the four-car Cup operation would shut at season’s finish, though Haas has since stated he’ll area one Cup and two Xfinity groups subsequent 12 months.
Briscoe, additionally an Indiana native, took the reins of Stewart’s No. 14 Ford in 2021 so has by no means competed on the oval course within the Cup Sequence. He did, nevertheless, run the oval twice within the Xfinity Sequence and gained that collection’ race on the highway course structure in 2020.
“Each race automobile driver, or anyone in motorsports, desires to race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and run laps at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, however once you develop up in Indiana, it simply means that rather more to you,” stated Briscoe.
“I’m simply tremendous excited to get again. I all the time say I don’t actually care what we’re racing at Indy, whether or not it’s the highway course, oval, filth monitor, parking zone, no matter, I simply need to race at Indy.
“It’s undoubtedly extra vital going to the oval, so it’ll be actually particular for me, personally, simply to get to run a Brickyard 400. That was one thing I didn’t know that I used to be ever going to get the chance to do.”
Kevin Harvick, Stewart-Haas Racing, Ford Mustang Busch Gentle Patriotic celebrates his win
Photograph by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Photographs
When NASCAR first ran at IMS in 1994 it was the primary race held on the speedway aside from the Indianapolis 500 since 1916.
Many alternative motorsport collection have known as IMS house at instances since and NASCAR itself moved to the oval course for 3 years when attendance waned on the 400.
Whereas Briscoe, 29, has a stable future secured within the Cup Sequence together with his latest signing with JGR, he appreciates one remaining alternative to race Stewart’s former No. 14 on the monitor earlier than SHR closes.
“I’m glad that I’ll at the least get to say I received to drive one Brickyard 400 within the No. 14 for Tony. However it’s bittersweet understanding that this’ll be the one time I’ll get to do it, and it’ll be the final time that Tony’s an proprietor at IMS,” he stated.
“There are blended feelings. I’m excited and glad that I’m attending to do it with how all the pieces performed out, the truth that we’re going again to the oval this 12 months and all the pieces, it means rather a lot personally to get to do it within the No. 14.
“I used to be speaking to Tony a few weeks in the past and even introduced as much as him how a reporter had talked about it to me, and it didn’t even actually hit me till I heard it. I believe for Tony it was the identical approach. So, it’s going to be bittersweet for each of us.”
A remaining Brickyard 400 win for SHR?
Even higher for each Briscoe and Stewart could be if Briscoe might pull out a win on Sunday and lock himself into the 2024 Cup playoffs, giving SHR its third consecutive win within the 400-mile occasion.
To not point out the desires of one other aspiring Indiana race automobile driver coming true.
“Simply to get to run on a race monitor that’s been round for greater than 100 years and has the historical past and significance that it has within the motorsports neighborhood is all the time particular. Then, once you develop up in Indiana, it’s simply regular,” Briscoe stated.
“I believe you’re taking as a right that you’ve got IMS there in your yard. It’s one thing you don’t understand how massive of a factor it’s till you lastly go there and see it in individual and understand what it means to motorsports.”
