CHASE BRISCOE, No. 98 HighPoint.com Ford Mustang — WHAT CHALLENGES DID YOU GO THROUGH TODAY? “I don’t run very good here in general. At the start of the race I felt pretty good. I was able to lead and, honestly, for me, just leading here was a big deal and we were just so loose. I think it was good that first run and then from there I just kept getting looser and looser as the night came. I don’t know how many times I hit the wall in turn one and the same into three. I was so loose. It would cut the center good on the long run. II would lose a straightaway and a half on the short run just being too loose, so I’ve got a lot to do to get a lot better here that’s for dang sure. I hate that it switched from Homestead. I feel like that’s my best track. Of all the years to make it to the final four it just didn’t work out, but overall a great season in our HighPoint.com Ford Mustang. I’m glad Austin was able to get the championship. That’s big for Ford. It’s on to next year.”
WHERE ARE YOUR EMOTIONS RIGHT NOW? “It’s nice to know that I’m going to the Cup Series and all these things, but it sucks to run fourth in the championship after the year that we had, but that’s how it works. I didn’t execute and they did a better job, so go on to next year. It’s gonna be an uphill battle all year long, but looking forward to the challenge.”
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE TODAY? “It was just a frustrating day. This is by far not my best racetrack. We started the race and, for me, just leading laps here I was like, ‘Wow, this is different.’ I was just so loose at the beginning of the race and as the night came I was just getting freer and freer. I don’t know how many times I about wrecked into one and would end up hitting the wall. I’ve got to do a lot better job coming here. There’s something about this place that I just really struggle at, so I’ve got a lot of homework to do. It’s definitely frustrating to finish fourth in the championship after the year we had, but, overall, to win nine races it’s been a phenomenal year. I’m happy that we were able to just make the final four with our HighPoint.com Mustang. I’m just thankful to be driving in NASCAR honestly. I’m obviously looking forward to next year, but this one obviously hurts. Anytime you can win nine races and finish fourth in the championship isn’t what you wanted, but we’ll keep our heads high and, like I said, just proud of the whole team. To be able to work with me these last two and a half years from where we started to where we are now has been a huge difference, so just thankful to be driving for Stewart-Haas Racing and come back next year.”
HOW HARD DID YOU WORK AT TRYING TO MAKE PHOENIX YOUR HOMESTEAD? “A lot. Homestead I feel like is by far my best racetrack. Phoenix I would say is probably my third or fourth-worst, so I knew it was gonna be an uphill battle. The three guys that are in this final four outside of us are really, really good race car drivers. They do a great job here and we knew it wasn’t gonna be easy coming into it and they just did a better job as a race car driver. I just have to do a lot better here, so definitely do a lot more homework and hopefully come back better.”
— Ford Performance —