Briscoe picked to drive Stewart-Haas Racing Xfinity Series car

Chase Briscoe of Mitchell has been named the full-time driver of the No. 98 Ford for Stewart-Haas Racing with Fred Biagi in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for 2019.

Briscoe, who won his first career Xfinity Series race at the Charlotte road course in September in the No. 98, will have backing from Nutri Chomps for the first 13 races.

The news expands the SHR fleet to two full-time Fords, following two seasons of single-car efforts with Cole Custer in the No. 00. Custer advanced to the Championship 4 in 2018, a season in which Briscoe split time in the No. 60 Roush Fenway Racing Ford and also had five starts in the No. 98.

“I got a taste of what Stewart-Haas Racing is capable of in the five races I ran with the team this year,” said Briscoe, who turns 24 on Dec. 15. “Winning at Charlotte was one of the greatest moments of my career, and I have to thank Nutri Chomps, Ford, Tony Stewart, Gene Haas and Fred Biagi for believing in me and providing this opportunity to race full time.”

A dirt racer by trade, Briscoe won in his only NASCAR Camping World Truck Series start of 2018 at Eldora Speedway, the high-banked, half-mile oval Stewart owns. Briscoe’s background makes him an excellent fit at the team co-owned by the three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion. Like Stewart, Briscoe’s path to NASCAR began on dirt tracks where the third-generation driver has been running sprint cars since he was 13 years old.

“I’ve been paying attention to Chase since he raced sprint cars, and I saw how well he transitioned to stock cars,” Stewart said. ” … He’s learned a lot in a very short period of time, and we’re really looking forward to seeing what he can do when he’s in the same car, working with the same crew, week in and week out.

Chase’s father Kevin experienced his share of success in open-wheel sprint cars, winning between 150 and 200 feature events across the Midwest over a 20-year career. In addition to winning five track championships at Bloomington Speedway and one at Tri-State speedway in Haubstadt, Kevin Briscoe scored victories at the very top — in USAC, All-Star Sprints and CRA (California Racing Association) competition.

"I raced the first half of my career in winged sprint cars, then went to non-wing racing in the mid-90s. We were just as successful when we took the wing off … won my second and third time out with the wing off … won a big $5,000-to-win CRA show at Lawrenceburg."

Kevin Briscoe also finished seventh in his first King’s Royal at Eldora Speedway. He eventually stepped aside to make way for his son, who became the youngest 410 cubic inch sprint car winner in history, winning at Bloomington Speedway when he was just 13. The apple did not fall far from the tree.

"I always knew (Chase) had the talent … he just never had the opportunity to get in top-notch equipment. Once he got in top-notch equipment, I already knew he could do it … I watched him race coming up, and do amazing things in lesser equipment.

"The sad thing about racing … there are so many talented kids out there who never get the chance to show it. We got that once-in-a-lifetime opportunity with Chase a couple of years ago, and we couldn’t be more grateful. It’s nice to see it happen. There are just so many talented kids that don’t have the financial backing. Chase … our entire family is blessed beyond measure."

Chase’s grandfather Richard is a legendary sprint car team owner, who has fielded entries for 37 different drivers, including such renowned wheelmen as Chuck Amati, Dave Blaney, Dick Gaines, Jack Hewitt, Steve Kinser and Rich Vogler.

Bell, Kunz win in St. Louis

Christopher Bell kept the winning streak going at the Gateway Dirt Nationals held Nov. 2 at the Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis. Bell, behind the wheel of the Columbus-based Keith Kunz Motorsports entry, held off Shane Golobic in a one-lap dash to win the inaugural midget event that paid $10,000 to win. Rico Abreu, Zach Daum and Chris Windom completed the top five.

It was the second straight victory for Bell, who drives for Joe Gibbs on the NASCAR Xfinity Series. He captured the Turkey Night Grand Prix on Nov.r 22 in Ventura, California.

For the second year in a row at the Dome, Bobby Pierce won the late model feature, pocketing $30,000.

Billy Moyer finished in second, followed by Martinsville’s Don O’Neal, who was driving his son Hudson’s car. Jason Welshan was fourth, with Ryan Unzicker completing the top five drivers. A total of 93 late models were on hand for the event, which was the third time the late models had raced in the December indoor event.

Mike Harrison took the victory in the $3,000-to-win open wheel modified main event. Mike McKinney was second, followed by Levi Kissinger, Brent Mullins and Kyle Steffens.

Stewart’s All-Stars set 2019 schedule

Celebrating five seasons under the ownership of three-time NASCAR Cup Series champion Tony Stewart, the Ollie’s Bargain Outlet All-Star Circuit of Champions presented by Mobil 1 will continue an upward trend and ultimately reach new heights in 2019.

It is set to visit 35 facilities for 56 events between late January and the end of September. The series will visit 12 states during their journeys, marching throughout much of the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic, as well as northern Florida.

In traditional fashion, the All-Star Circuit of Champions will launch the new year with action in the Sunshine State, set to do battle at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Florida, and Volusia Speedway Park in Barberville, Florida, for five events between Jan. 31 and Feb. 7.

“We are more than excited to release our 2019 schedule of events,” Stewart said. “To have the opportunity to showcase our talents across such a wide area is truly special. I want to thank all of the tracks, their promotional teams and staffs for helping us put this schedule together. It takes a lot of hard work and organization. With the recent addition of Ollie’s Bargain Outlet to help fuel our motivation, I’m confident this is going to be a year for the record books

This week in racing history

From 20 years ago in 1998, Jeff Wilson was named the late model track champion at Twin Cities. The sprint car track champion in 1998 at Lawrenceburg Speedway was Sheldon Kinser Jr. The same year, Robbie Rice won the track title at Lincoln Park Speedway in Putnamville, Leon Thickstun took the sprint car championship at Paragon Speedway and Derek Scheffel took the top honors for the sprints at Bloomington Speedway.