Photo: Cayden Rush | The Podium Finish)
Just like his car owner, Tony Stewart, Chase Briscoe isn’t immune to a few butterflies when pulling through the tunnel at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
The Mitchell, Indiana native has a lot of hometown support each time he comes back home to Indiana. “It was mind-blowing how many people were into it (racing) just because I was from here,” Briscoe said. That support comes from both racing and non-racing fans alike. Briscoe added that it’s “a little extra special coming from a small town, one of only about 3000 people. If I was just from Indianapolis, I don’t think as many people would care.”
Briscoe’s hometown of Mitchell isn’t without its big names, including NFL star Terry Cole and one that has gone a touch faster than Briscoe’s average speed around Indy, Astronaut Gus Grisson.
“Hopefully I can maybe be one of those names up there with them one day,” Briscoe shared. He added that being recognized like that and having the support of his hometown is “humbling.”
For Briscoe, getting home really comes to a stop at Christmastime and the annual trip to the Brickyard for race weekend where he says “butterflies are there every time you come to here.” Briscoe is like many others that have resided in Indiana and have spent time in motorsports. “You dream of racing at ‘the speedway’ one day,” Briscoe said.
With this weekend’s Verizon 200 on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course, Briscoe said, “I don’t think there is a driver in the field that wouldn’t tell you how special it is to race here.” Many of Briscoe’s heroes have held that checkered flag on those hallowed grounds and he reflected, “Growing up, I got to watch my heroes race here and I dreamed of being on the other side of that catch fence. Now I’m the one the racetrack that people are here watching and dreaming of being.”
Briscoe’s first trip to Indianapolis was for the Indy 500, watching his now team owner, Tony Stewart run and win. One of Briscoe’s biggest regrets was seeing each of the Indy 500s from the 94th to the 99th running, but “not getting to see this place sold out and all of the celebrations of the 100th. I’m still mad about it.”
For the driver of the famed No. 14, a number that has seen a lot of success around this race track, “It’s definitely special” for Briscoe and he hopes to add his name to an Indianapolis trophy.
