Seavey adds a bevy of races in Briscoe’s equipment to a quickly-growing 2018 schedule, headlined by an appearance with Keith Kunz/Curb-Agajanian Motorsports at the upcoming Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Nationals in January.
But an opportunity to drive for a friend and mentor in Briscoe was something that Seavey said he “just couldn’t pass up.”
“Chase and I have been really good friends for a long time, and he’s always said that if he ever got an opportunity to give me a shot, then he would,” said Seavey. “They got the sprint car program going last year with T-Mez (Meseraull) and (Chase) kept telling me as it was building that he wanted me to be the guy for 2018.”
“They’ve put everything together really well, with how they’ve gone about getting the team organized. Chase and his dad have always believed in me, and that helps my confidence a lot … because it is going to be a big step for me. I’ve only ran one 410 non-winged (sprint car) race and one 410 winged race. It’ll be a learning curve, for sure, but it’s something I believe I can do and they believe in me … so I’m ready to do it.”
Seavey admitted that his biggest challenge next season will be his winged sprint car races, due to the fact that in his experience, non-winged sprint cars and national midgets drive somewhat similarly.
“For me, in the short amount of experience I’ve had in the bigger cars, the non-winged sprints and midgets have always felt a lot alike,” Seavey explained. “The transition there isn’t huge for me … the biggest learning curve will be the winged stuff; that’s where I’ve struggled in the past.”
And for those wondering what Briscoe’s own dirt schedule will look like next season – amid a calendar that already has a partial NASCAR XFINITY Series season with Roush-Fenway Racing and ten to twelve road course events booked on it thanks to Ford Performance – the Mitchell, Ind. native will continue to compete semi-regularly in his own equipment on the dirt, just as he did this season in between Truck races.
Briscoe even added that another well-known dirt track ace-turned NASCAR star may just take the wheel for him in a couple of races next season as well.
“As far as myself, I’m probably going to run 20 or 25 sprint car races next year, both winged and non-winged … and if we get the cars built in time, we’ll be down at Volusia in February,” he said. “I think (Christopher) Bell is going to drive it at Volusia, so that’s really exciting for us.”
“We’ve got pretty much the best of the best that we could buy, from an equipment standpoint, so my hope now is that the cars run as good as they look.”
About the Writer
Jacob Seelman is the Managing Editor of Race Chaser Online and creator of the Motorsports Madness radio show, airing at 7 p.m. Eastern every Monday on the Performance Motorsports Network, as well as a periodic contributor to SPEED SPORT Magazine.
Seelman grew up in the sport, watching his grandparents co-own the RaDiUs Motorsports NASCAR Cup Series team in the 1990s.
The 23-year-old is currently studying Broadcast Journalism at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., and is also serving as the full-time tour announcer for the Must See Racing Sprint Car Series.
Email Jacob at: [email protected]
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Chase we are so proud of you and can’t wait to see what this year brings to you and your team and family
That’s awesome wish I could be a part of it.. never got the chance to really show what I could do behind the wheel because my family & I have been less fortunate, plus I made some dumb mistakes as a youth.. but have had a few events I have been in an I have won everyone of them.. just really wish I had the fund’s or a shot..
Hey Chase great news,awesome that your keeping in touch with your grassroots racing.All great driver’s you have picked out.But we have one here in the Zona Speedy Stevie Sussex That has been On & off the Midwest trail if you ever need a good shoe this kid has what it takes at the next level.