Chase Briscoe Richmond Advance – No. 14 Rinnai Ford Dark Horse Mustang

You last raced at Richmond on March 31, which was more than four months ago. How has the competition changed since then?

“I definitely think it’s gotten more cut-throat as the year goes on. Everybody’s stuff gets better, everybody’s tighter at the beginning of the year, then everybody’s a little more spread out and what not. As we get to the tail end of the season, it’s just going to get harder and harder to win just because more and more people are really good. Our stuff definitely has changed a lot since we first raced at Richmond this year, but so has everybody else’s. We’ll just have to try to improve on what we had there the last time.”

Have some of the more recent short tracks, or even flat tracks, like New Hampshire and Iowa, provided some insight as to how you’ll unload at Richmond?

“I think a little bit. Richmond’s a little bit unique just because the tire wear is so significant compared to all those other racetracks that are similar to it in size and banking. It’s hard to say if you really can take a whole lot from any other racetracks just because Richmond is kind of its own unique beast because of its abrasive surface and the tire wear that it has.”

Is there a difference in how Richmond races between the first race in the still comfortable air of spring compared to its second race in the heat of the summer?

“At that place, the grip level definitely changes a lot just based on the temperature. It’s probably one of the more temperature-sensitive racetracks. It’s slick even when it’s 50 degrees outside, and it’s really slick when it’s 85-plus outside. For me, I enjoy when it’s hotter and slicker there because I feel like you have more options and your car’s driving worse and I just enjoy that more. Hopefully when we go there it’s hot and slick and we can move all over the racetrack and have a lot of fun with it. I definitely feel like the tracks I run better at are typically the slicker and worn-out ones. Richmond’s one of those tracks where, when it’s cold outside, you’re married to the bottom of the racetrack, whereas when it’s hot, you can kind of move around and run up by the wall and do a lot more stuff with your racecar. I definitely enjoy it more when it’s hot and slick there.”

You’ll have the prime tire and the option tire at Richmond, just like what you trialed in the All-Star Race at North Wilkesboro Speedway. What was it like at the All-Star Race with the option tire? What kind of strategy went into it, and how do you think it will apply at Richmond?

“There’s never been a points race where we’ve had multiple option tires. It’s going to be a new component of strategy that we’ve never seen before, just trying to understand when to put on the option tire or stick with the prime tire. North Wilkesboro is a little unique in the sense of, with it being newly repaved, it didn’t really chew up tires a whole lot, where Richmond will certainly chew up tires. I think there’s going to be a lot of strategy involved. The new tires, or the option tires, will probably be extremely fast for probably 10 or 15 laps and then get really, really slow. It’ll be interesting, and the crew chiefs will certainly earn their money on that day, for sure.”

Do guys with a dirt background have an advantage at Richmond as they’re used to running different tire compounds?

“I don’t know if the dirt guys have an advantage. If it’s slick, then maybe a little bit, but honestly I think it plays into the pavement late model guys’ hands a lot more just because they’re really good at saving tires and they know how to do that, where sprint car guys typically struggle with that. I think guys like Josh Berry, William Byron, Denny Hamlin, guys who are just really good at understanding where the tire is and the life of it. I feel like sprint car guys kind of struggle with that a lot of the time just because we don’t have a lot of experience doing it.”

Will having an option tire at Richmond make for a better race?

“I think it’s a step. We’ve kind of been trying everything else and nothing’s really seemed to move the needle. I do think this is another thing to throw at it to see if it makes a difference. I also think you’ll see more comers and goers just from having different tires. At North Wilkesboro, there wasn’t a major difference, but also tires didn’t really wear out there, either. I do think it’ll make a difference and I’m curious to see what it’s like. Practice is going to be interesting to see how it plays out, and I think after practice you’ll have a lot better idea of what to expect for the race.”