LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 4: Chase Briscoe, driver of the No. 14 Ford Mahindra Tractors, … (+) watches during qualifying for the NASCAR Clash at the Coliseum at the Los Angeles Coliseum on February 4, 2023 in The Angels. California. (Photo by Chris Graythen//Keynote USA/Getty Images)
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For those of us who have spent any time in the workplace, it has happened to us at least once: we are summoned to Human Resources and given the terrible news. They give us the pink slip and tell us that our services are no longer needed. It can be like a punch in the gut or, depending on the job, a blessed relief.
Now, if you’re working your dream job, the HR person might as well be dressed in a long black hooded robe, handing out that pink petticoat with one skeletal hand while holding a scythe in the other.
But life goes on. Bills still need to be paid, mouths fed and babies clothed. So, we dust off the resume, spread the word to our network, and embark on the dreaded job search.
It turns out this experience isn’t much different for a NASCAR driver. Minus the hooded figure, of course.
Take Chase Briscoe for example. The Indiana native had his dream job. He had worked his entire life with the goal of reaching the NASCAR Cup Series. Not only did he accomplish that feat, but he also got to work for one of his childhood heroes, fellow Hoosier and racing legend Tony Stewart, driving the iconic No. 14 car that Stewart vacated in 2021.
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But earlier this year the rumors began. The once mighty Stewart-Haas Racing boat was taking on water. A few weeks ago, drivers were told the team was considering selling one, maybe two, of its Charters, essentially franchise deals worth millions. This could plug the hole and keep the boat afloat.
That plan, however, never materialized. Recently, everyone was told it was time to abandon ship. Tony Stewart gathered the four drivers around him to tell them the bad news. A definitive punch in the stomach. One that especially affected Briscoe, 29, a married father with a two-and-a-half-year-old son and a wife pregnant with twins.
As soon as Stewart broke the news, Briscoe sprang into action.
“That was the first thing I asked when Tony sat us all down and asked if we had any questions,” Briscoe said. “I said, ‘Yeah, what does this mean for us as far as being able to talk to other teams?’ And he said, ‘You guys are free to do whatever you want.’ So literally, as I was sitting in the room, I started texting people, letting them know, ‘Hey, I’m going to be available and I need to find something.'”
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He didn’t need to update his resume, which is already quite impressive: a Cup Series victory and Rookie of the Year honors in all three of NASCAR’s national touring series. But at the end of the day, he still has to find a new job like everyone else.
“It’s really no different,” he said. “I think you still have to put in the work, let people know you’re available, talk to them, get to know them and do what you have to do while trying to perform on the court and prove yourself.”
In fact, instead of a two-week notice, Briscoe’s tenure with the team won’t end until Nov. 10, after the final race at Phoenix. Until then, not only does he have to find a new job but he also has to give 100% effort on the track.
With the other three SHR drivers also looking for new vehicles, along with others in the Cup Series looking for new opportunities, and the usual group of younger drivers in the Xfinity and Truck Series looking to move up, the market is even more crowded than it might be. usual. .
Briscoe’s goal is not to get lost in the dust.
INDIANKeynoteUSAOLIS, INDIANA – DECEMBER 10: Chase Briscoe speaks as Tony Stewart looks on during a press event…(+) announcing a partnership between Stewart-Haas Racing and Mahindra Tractors at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on December 10, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Dylan Buell//Keynote USA/Getty Images)
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“I’m just trying to make sure I don’t get left out,” he said. “I have nothing to fall back on. I’m not like other people who have a family business or something like that. With a two-and-a-half-year-old, a wife and twins on the way, I definitely can’t afford to be left out and have nothing.”
Another element added to the mix is sponsorship. Briscoe has strong relationships with several sponsors, and a driver with a sponsor who is committed and willing to follow him can be very attractive to a potential team. However, none of his current sponsors have formally committed to backing him, which is actually a good thing, according to Briscoe.
“Everyone was definitely willing to talk to whoever was coming, but there’s no commitment on paper,” he said. “That’s one thing I would say about Mahindra: they made it clear that they don’t want to be the main topic of discussion. They want a team to hire me for me, not for who I can bring.”
That hands-off approach makes sense when considering Briscoe’s long-term future.
“They felt it was better for them to try to sell it to higher-ups,” he said. “If a team comes to me and says, ‘Hey, we want Chase for Chase and not for Mahindra Tractors or HighPoint.com,’ they’ll also have an easier time selling it internally.
INDIANKeynoteUSAOLIS, INDIANA – DECEMBER 10: (LR) Chase Briscoe, Tony Stewart and Mahindra Ag North… (+) Americas President and CEO Viren Popli pose for photographs during a press event announcing a partnership between Stewart-Haas Racing and Mahindra Tractors. at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on December 10, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Dylan Buell//Keynote USA/Getty Images)
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“I’m sure I have a good enough relationship with Mahindra Tractors, HighPoint.com and all these people, and wherever I end up, I’m sure there will be arguments.”
Briscoe had a lot of experience searching for work before landing his position at Stewart-Haas. He points out that one thing has changed since his last job search: something most of us don’t have to worry about.
“Now the social landscape is definitely different,” he said. “The number of followers you have greatly influences how marketable you are and how attractive you are to people.
“Fifteen years ago, no one cared about Twitter or Instagram followers, but now sponsors do, so that has changed. The landscape of how we do things has evolved. In fifteen years, everything will be totally different again.”
Although his job involves driving a race car, Briscoe notes, “We’re also a marketing company, and to be a marketing company, you have to be good at social media. “That’s what we’ve become.”
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Chase Briscoe’s job search could be short. On Friday, Martin Truex Jr. announced that he will leave racing full-time at the end of the season. That opens up one of the most coveted seats in the sport. Almost immediately, Briscoe’s name was brought to the forefront of speculation. But until that is official, or if he fails, Briscoe will audition and look for work in each and every race until he drops the checkered flag in November.
“I feel like every week at this level you have to perform week after week,” he said. “You can’t have a couple of bad weeks because it’s like the stock market. One week you’re the hottest guy in the sport, and three weeks from now, you could have three bad weeks in a row and everyone thinks you’re exhausted and can’t drive anymore. So you’re always auditioning, always trying to prove yourself.”
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