Chase Briscoe might be the most surprising NASCAR driver to start the 2026 Cup Series season. Through 10 races, Briscoe sits 17th in the point standings, meaning he would miss the Chase right now. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has a four-point deficit to Team Penske driver Austin Cindric for the final Chase spot.

Briscoe has earned three top-5 finishes and four top-10 finishes, but it hasn't been all positive. The driver of the No. 19 car only has 32 stage points and three finishes of 36th place or worse. Briscoe has turned it around after a tough start, but a 29th-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway ended his momentum.

The No. 19 team had exceptional speed during the 2025 NASCAR playoffs and figured to be one of the championship favorites in 2026. While there is still plenty of time before the Chase, Briscoe needs to find a way into the top 16 spots to fight for a Cup Series championship this fall.

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This article originally appeared on Motorsports Wire: Chase Briscoe sitting outside of Chase picture after 10 races in 2026