Rookie Chase Briscoe signs with Cunningham Motorsports for 2016
(MOORESVILLE, N.C. – December 10, 2015) – Chase Briscoe has a lot to be thankful for during this holiday season. Kerry Scherer, co-owner of Cunningham Motorsports, announced today that the Mitchell, Indiana resident will drive the No. 77 during the 2016 ARCA Racing Series presented by Menards season.
Briscoe competed in two ARCA Racing Series events in 2015 for Cunningham Motorsports, earning top-10 finishes at Salem Speedway and Lucas Oil Raceway.
“We are excited to have Chase run our No. 77 next season,” Scherer said. “In the two races that he ran last season, we saw exactly what he could do in our cars. The team and I look forward to running for another Rookie of the Year this season with Briscoe.”
The Cunningham organization has captured five of the last seven ARCA SCOTT Rookie of the Year titles, without competing for that award in the other two seasons.
“It’s absolutely amazing to know that I am going to be running full-time for Cunningham Motorsports,” Briscoe said. “It has made sleeping on couches the last year and a half and moving to North Carolina without my family all worth it. It’s a one in a million opportunity to go from being a local Indiana sprint car driver to running for the championship and trying to win the Rookie of the Year to keep Cunningham’s streak alive.“
Briscoe, who will turn 21 on December 15, made his ARCA debut in July at the Sioux Chief PowerPEX 200 at Lucas Oil Raceway, finishing 10th after qualifying fifth. Briscoe answered that with a career-best fifth place finish at Salem in September, after starting seventh. Briscoe was quite the crowd pleaser at Salem, living just 15 minutes from the track.
“I am truly blessed and know that God had a huge part in this. I will never be able to show how thankful I am to Briggs Cunningham and Kerry Scherer for taking a risk on me. It is very humbling and I hope to make them both proud,” Briscoe added.
Briscoe will join his team at Daytona International Speedway, as the ARCA teams begin their 2016 season with an open test on January 15, 2016. In addition to the test at Daytona, Briscoe will also compete in the renowned Chili Bowl Nationals the following day in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
“I cannot wait to get to Daytona. I have been dreaming of running Daytona ever since I was a little boy. I am sure at the test I will be smiling the first lap or two around the track. I’m so excited to see how this season goes and hopefully my team and I can get the organization its first championship.”
Before Briscoe’s season can start, the Cunningham organization will officially close its 2015 season at the annual ARCA awards banquet in Indianapolis Saturday night. Cunningham Motorsports is set to receive several awards, including the prestigious Bill France Four Crown, the SCOTT Rookie of the Year and the inaugural Calypso Short Track Challenge championship. In addition, Chad Bryant, Tom Hessert’s crew chief in 2015 and Briscoe’s crew chief for 2016, will receive the Cometic Crew Chief of the Year honors for the second consecutive season.
Sources: Cunningham Motorsports PR