Briscoe set to defend Eldora victory with ThorSport

ROSSBURG, OH - JULY 18: Chase Briscoe, driver of the #27 Ford Ford, celebrates with the checkered flag after winning the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Eldora Dirt Derby at Eldora Speedway on July 18, 2018 in Rossburg, Ohio. (Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images)
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Defending winner Chase Briscoe will return to the No. 27 ThorSport Racing Ford for the Aug. 1 Eldora Dirt Derby, the team announced Thursday at Kentucky Speedway. ThorSport has won the last two Gander Outdoors Truck Series events at Eldora Speedway, with Matt Crafton winning in 2017 and Briscoe taking the checkered flag last year.

Last year’s Eldora Dirt Derby was the only 2019 Truck Series start for Briscoe, who runs full-time for Stewart-Haas Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

“It’s super exciting for me to go back to Eldora and try to win two in a row,” Briscoe said. “Nobody’s ever done that.”

Cutting tools manufacturer DIAEDGE will sponsor Briscoe in the seventh running of the Eldora race, NASCAR’s only national series competition on dirt.

Logistically, racing at Eldora will mean a scramble for Briscoe, who has to practice his Xfinity car at Watkins Glen the following morning.

“It’s definitely going to be tough logistically, for sure,” Briscoe said. “Luckily, I found out a couple of weeks ago that there was going to be a plane that goes from Eldora to Watkins Glen with a couple of the spotters and whatnot. I assume I’m going to be the only driver doing both of them.

“For sure, it’s going to be tough. The biggest issue right is if it rains, what happens? That’s obviously an issue when we go dirt racing. If it rains a lot, we won’t race that night.”

SHORT STROKES

Kyle Busch won his second Espy for Best Driver on Wednesday night, beating out Formula 1 champion Lewis Hamilton, IndyCar’s star Scott Dixon and the NHRA’s Scott Torrence. NASCAR stars have won the Espy for Best Driver in four of the last five years, with Kevin Harvick taking the honor in 2015 after his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series championship, Busch winning in 2016 after his first title and Martin Truex Jr. winning in 2018 after his breakthrough championship…

Greg Engle