Chase Briscoe discovered early that working with James Small would be different. As in the table, when the driver and the team leader gathered for lunch shortly after Briscoe was signed by Joe Gibbs Racing.
“It was one of the first conversations,” said Briscoe at Daytona 500 Media Day. “I think James and I went to lunch, and he ordered this super-health bowl, and I ordered this fried thing. He said to himself: “It will change”. »»
In June, Briscoe was announced as the next driver of Toyota n ° 19 in Gibbs. He does not take this opportunity lightly, and thinks that it gives him the first legitimate blow to win a championship in the series of cups.
Small would be the head of the crew to guide him there. And Aussia wanted to make sure that its new driver would be all about the process.
“James is great in fitness; He and his wife are pure and hard, “said Briscoe about the change of diet. “As hard as you can eat well, work. So when I came there, James said to me, “So what are you doing?” This is a large part of his life, so he wanted to know how I approach. I said to myself: “Well, honestly, I never eat fruits or vegetables. I eat all the fried food and I do not train. He said to himself: “Well, we have to change this. I want you to be 100% in the racing car at any time, and if I put 100% on my side, I want to know that you are also 100% bought. ‘”
The solution ended up being simple: Kat Sims, Small’s wife, is now also coach and nutritionist from Briscoe.
“It was good for me, honestly, that his wife does it, because it holds me much more responsible because if I do not do it, he knows it instantly,” said Briscoe. “If it was the team or TRD has the Driver program, I could probably get out of it without going there, and he would never know. But with his wife doing it, it keeps me extremely responsible.
“I would lie if I said I was perfect. I could do much better. I did very well for three or four weeks and I lost almost 10 pounds, then I (flat). But this is where it comes from – it is such a large part of his life that he wanted me to be the same. »»
On Wednesday evening, Briscoe and Small began their partnership by winning the post for the Daytona 500. This is the first post of the event for Briscoe, Small and Toyota. This is the first Daytona 500 pole for Joe Gibbs since 1998.