In-season challenge matchups "could cause chaos" in Atlanta Cup race

Chase Briscoe will face off against Noah Gragson in Round 1 of the five-week tournament, which adds an extra wrinkle to these upcoming summer races.

Of course, there’s no direct impact on the championship, but the newly introduced challenge offers $1 million to the winning driver … as well as bragging rights. Any fan who can put together a perfect bracket could also walk away with one million dollars in prize money.

A very different race

Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Photo by: Jonathan Bachman – Getty Images

“It definitely is going to be a unique complexion to the race,” said Briscoe in a Friday media availability. “I’ve never really been where it is head-to-head with one other guy. In the Playoffs, you are racing only really against 15 or 11 or 7 or 3 other guys, but never head-to-head. It will kind of be unique – if you are running 14th and they are running 16th – like that battle is going to be really intense in the mix of the battle of the race itself.

“It will be kind of hard, having that play out on a superspeedway – just because here, we can really be all right on top of each other, right? You could almost have a battle for the win for 15th with the guy. It is going to be a unique layer to the race. Maybe it could cause chaos at the end. I don’t know how desperate people will be in the first round, but if you get knocked out the first round, you can’t move on. I think it will add a very unique element to the race, and I’m looking forward to it. It should be a lot of fun.”

Will it change the strategy?

Chase Briscoe, Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

Photo by: Jonathan Bachman – Getty Images

The tournament begins with 16 pairs of 32 drivers. In each individual battle, the driver who places higher at Atlanta moves on to the second round. Briscoe is paying attention to it, as well as who he may be facing in the rounds to come if he beats Gragson this weekend. However, while it may influence the drivers, Briscoe doesn’t see it changing the way the teams approach each race.

“I don’t think the teams are going to change their strategy based on who you are racing, because based on the Playoff standpoint, it doesn’t really do anything. I do think when you get to the final round, or even the final four, I think there is maybe a chance that maybe teams will call a different strategy based on the Playoff situation, but yeah, it is definitely something I looked at.

“Noah and I trash talked each other for a little bit this week, so it will be fun to kind of have that competition, and certainly, out of all of the tracks, I would say, in this matchup deal, I’m by far the most nervous about this one – especially going up against Noah. This is a place where you can come and run really, really well, so it will be a tough challenge for sure.” 

A level playing field

Noah Gragson, Front Row Motorsports Ford

Photo by: Jam Media / Getty Images

And while most weeks we can expect Briscoe to out-run Gragson on pure pace, Atlanta is an entirely different situation. The drafting-style track opens up doors for drivers who normally wouldn’t have much of a shot, adding some unpredictability to the in-season challenge. 

“This is one of those race tracks that no matter what team you are with, you kind of have a shot to go and win,” said Briscoe.

“Noah [Gragson] is not at one of the powerhouse teams, but when he comes here, he can be right here in the mix. Front Row cars qualified on the front row here last year, so it will be a challenge. I know that Noah will probably qualify well. The Toyotas don’t typically qualify quite as well, but our cars will handle really, really good in the race. It is going to be a tough challenge. Anybody that you are going up against in the Cup Series is going to be hard. Anybody can beat anybody on any given day, so it is going to be a hard one. Of all the weeks, I definitely feel like this is the one that I’m the most nervous about because this is the one that is the most out of my control, but it will be fun.

“Hopefully, I win because if I don’t, I will never hear the end of it from Noah or my son.”