The NASCAR Cup Series is coming to a close as the championship hits the Round of 12 stage of the playoffs.
Kyle Larson leads the championship standings after taking a dominant victory at Bristol Motor Speedway to extend his advantage in NASCAR.
The American driver is battling for his second championship for Hendrick Motorsports after clinching his first title in 2021. Larson also enjoyed a memorable celebration at Bristol after his dominant drive in the No. 5 car.
But Dylan Smith has warned Larson that Chase Briscoe will be very competitive over the playoffs and the next few races when speaking to NASCAR on FOX.
Dylan Smith believes Chase Briscoe is ‘the most dangerous’ driver in the NASCAR playoffs
The NASCAR playoffs Round of 12 stage will begin at Kansas Speedway before two more races to narrow the field down to the last eight drivers.
Briscoe is less experienced than some of the field’s drivers and is approaching the end of his fourth season in the championship.
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The driver of the No. 14 car has driven well at some events this season, winning the Cook Out Southern 500 at Darlington, his second NASCAR victory.
Smith explained that he expects Briscoe to drive with an attacking style in the NASCAR playoffs and could advance to the Final Four for Stewart-Haas Racing.
He said: “Chase is in the playoffs, and I think at this point, I would say that the 14 is the most dangerous team in the playoffs because it’s an unknown, and they have nothing to lose whatsoever.
“Fines, whatever. It doesn’t matter. Just send it. So I think that if Chase makes it through this round, I’m almost putting him in my Final Four.”
Chase Briscoe has very little to lose in the NASCAR playoffs
The playoffs format at the end of the NASCAR season creates very little room for mistakes as the campaign draws to a close.
Briscoe doesn’t have much to lose, as he just crept into the final 12 in 12th place in the championship standings.
The American driver is 42 points behind the championship leader, Larson, making his title challenge unlikely.
His lack of a chance to win the championship may allow Briscoe to drive in an uncompromising way towards the end of the year to maximise his result.