INDIANAPOLIS – Chase Briscoe had a big reason to be excited Friday afternoon at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Briscoe, alongside Stewart-Haas Racing co-owner Tony Stewart, revealed Mahindra Tractors would serve as an anchor sponsor aboard the No. 14 Ford Mustang that Briscoe will drive in the NASCAR Cup Series.
However, Mahindra Tractors isn’t just supporting Briscoe at the NASCAR Cup Series level. They’re also supporting him at the grassroots level by jumping onboard with Briscoe for the 35th running of the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals next month in Tulsa, Okla.
For Briscoe, having a sponsor that will support him not just at the NASCAR level, but also during his endeavors on dirt, is a game changer.
“Any time you can have a partner in anything, it’s special, but to see what Mahindra is doing and going and giving back to grassroots racing, as well, I think this shows their commitment in motorsports and just in the sport in general,” Briscoe said. “I think obviously NASCAR is a huge demographic for them, but also at the grassroots (level).
“We’ve groomed the dirt tracks with tractors, so hopefully we can get a Mahindra tractor out there at the Chili Bowl. But hopefully I can do even more dirt racing with those guys. And it’s really cool, though, to start off a new year, second week of January, with a partner that’s going to be on the (Cup Series) car for the majority of the year, so it’s really special, for sure.
Briscoe is hoping that the Chili Bowl is just the tip of the iceberg for his dirt racing plans this year. He revealed Friday that in addition to the Chili Bowl, he’s planning to compete in the Jason Leffler Memorial on Dec. 18 inside the Southern Illinois Center in Du Quoin, Ill.
Beyond the Leffler Memorial and the Chili Bowl, the goal for Briscoe is to race roughly 20 to 25 times on dirt next season and to do so in as many types of race cars as possible. That includes midgets, 360 and 410 sprint cars and, if he can find a team, dirt late models.
“The Chili Bowl is not going to be the only race you see them (Mahindra) on the dirt side,” Briscoe said. “I’m trying to do a lot more sprint car racing next year. I’m trying to find a dirt late model to go run some. Mahindra will be a huge part of that, so that’s something I’m really excited for.”
In terms of exactly what races he’ll be running, Briscoe hasn’t narrowed down his schedule in detail yet. He said what races he competes in will likely be determined by what is racing near the tracks on the NASCAR schedule, which would eliminate travel concerns.
“Last year I ran the Wisconsin IRA race. I’ll for sure do that,” Briscoe said. “Any of them that are close to the NASCAR races. USCS I think has a show at the Talladega Short Track, so I’ll try and run that. I want to try to run the Flo Night races, a couple of them, the Eldora Million. I really want to try to do some late model races.”
Late model racing is something that would be new to Briscoe, but it’s something that he’s excited to try. He’s always been interested dirt late models and after watching Kyle Larson tackle the disciple in recent years, Briscoe has decided now is the time to try it himself.
“I’ve always wanted to try it,” Briscoe said of dirt late model racing. “I ran a crate late model one time and that was, I don’t know, seven or eight years ago. I had a lot of fun doing it, but the super with more power I feel like would be a lot more fun.
“Obviously Kyle going and doing it and being able to run up front…I feel like it would be a lot of fun. Eldora Million, if I do get to run that one, that’s one I’ll be lucky to just make the race. I just want to try a dirt late model, I think they look like a lot of fun.”
While Briscoe is ready to jump in a dirt late model, he said at the moment he’s been unable to find a team that is in a position to field a car for him.
“I’ve talked to two or three different teams and none of them have the people or I guess the time to go put two cars on the race track. So just trying to find a team to go do it,” Briscoe said. “So if any team owners are listening I’d love to try it and run a couple of those races.”
While he continues to pursue an opportunity to go dirt late model racing, Briscoe’s immediate focus is the Chili Bowl. In seven Chili Bowl attempts, Briscoe has managed to make the Saturday night feature once. That was in 2017, when he finished 22nd after an early flip.
He’s been within a few positions of making the Chili Bowl finale each of the last three years. This year he’s hoping to make the feature and with any luck, finish it without flipping.
“We’ve been always right on that edge of making it and the year we made it we got upside down in the first couple of laps, so we haven’t really even had a chance to go for it,” Briscoe said. “I’ve got a new car this year, I’ve yet to even test this thing, I’m going to test it Monday. Hopefully this new car will be good.
“I’m excited. The Chili Bowl, there are so many variables going into it. You can be the fastest car there and still not make the race.”