CHASE BRISCOE TO MAKE BC39 RETURN AUG. 18-19
By: Richie Murray – USAC Media
Speedway, Indiana (July 15, 2021)………NASCAR Rookie of the Year candidate and USAC sprint car/midget racing veteran Chase Briscoe will pilot the family owned No. 5B in the 2021 edition of the Driven2SaveLives BC39 presented by NOS Energy Drink on August 18-19 at The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Briscoe, from Mitchell, Ind, will pilot a brand-new New Zealand based King Chassis he purchased a couple of weeks ago in the USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship event and will carry primary sponsorship from Penny Lane Child Care out of Bloomington, Indiana.
The 26-year-old has appeared in both previous runnings of the BC39, missing out on a transfer spot to the feature in the inaugural 2018 edition, then made the feature in 2019 where he started 21st and finished 24th. Among his previous USAC Midget experiences, the 26-year-old Briscoe also finished 21st in the 2017 Turkey Night Grand Prix at California’s Ventura Raceway in 2017.
However, his best USAC Midget results have come on the “bullrings,” which represent a similarity to the tight quarters racing action that has become commonplace at The Dirt Track at IMS. Those peak midget performances came indoors in USAC non-points events at the Southern Illinois Center in Du Quoin where he finished 2nd to Christopher Bell in 2017 and 5th in 2015.
Now a regular on NASCAR’s Cup Series trail for Stewart-Haas Racing, perhaps Briscoe’s greatest triumph came at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2020, winning the NASCAR Xfinity Series’ Pennzoil 150 at the Brickyard on the 2.439 mile road course.
Whether it’s on the road course, the oval or the 1/4-mile dirt track, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway is special to Briscoe, who hails from nearby Mitchell, Ind. After an unplanned year off from the BC39 in 2020, Briscoe is more than ready to return to a place that is near and dear to his heart.
“The race, being in Indianapolis, is special to me, but just to race in Bryan (Clauson)’s honor is something I want to do every year as long as I can,” Briscoe said in an interview with RacinBoys’ Lee Spencer. “Unfortunately, we didn’t get to run the event last year (due to COVID-19). “But I’m super excited about this year. I think it’s going to be a great event with a lot of promotion behind it. (I’m) just really excited to get there.
Whenever I’ve run Indy in the past, I always have tremendous support from a lot of people from my hometown who’ll come up for the race,” Briscoe continued. “That always makes it really special. I can’t wait to get back on the dirt in Indiana—especially at a place that’s so special.”
BC39 DRIVER REGISTRATION NOW OPEN & TICKETS ON SALE
Driver registration is now officially open for the third running of the Driven2SaveLives BC39 powered by NOS Energy Drink on August 18-19 at The Dirt Track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Teams can file their entry for the event at https://www.thebc39.com/, where they may also purchase tickets, pit and parking passes for the two-night USAC NOS Energy Drink Midget National Championship event.
Spectator tickets can be purchased directly at https://www.indianapolismotorspeedway.com/events/usac/buy-tickets. Spectators are to enter the Indianapolis Motor Speedway via 30th Street.
There are three options for viewing the racing action and also having pit pass access. You can purchase a competitor pit pass only where no seat is included with limited viewing of the track. Secondly, you can purchase a competitor pit pass with reserved seating included, which are available in the lower level of the main grandstands. You may also purchase a grandstand seat from the IMS ticketing site with a pit pass upgrade. Competitors must enter IMS via the 16th Street tunnel.
Each entry filed will come with two VIP parking passes for inside parking at IMS, intended for driver and entrant. All others must either purchase inside parking or park outside of turns three and four of 2.5-mile paved oval track.
The event on the quarter-mile dirt oval inside Turn 3 at IMS will continue to honor late USAC champion and three-time Indianapolis 500 starter Bryan Clauson and increase awareness of and participation in the Indiana Donor Network and Driven2SaveLives.
Brady Bacon (2018) and Zeb Wise (2019) have captured victories in the first two editions of the BC39.
The BC39 officially gets underway on Tuesday, August 17, with team parking at Noon Eastern followed by the heat race position draft at the USAC office, located at 4910 W. 16th Street, adjacent from turn one of IMS oval at 5:30pm. All cars entered will be randomized into a draft order for the heat race draft. Teams will be able to pick their heat race spot, either in person with a representative, or remotely through USAC officials. Any unrepresented team will be given the first available spot.
On track action begins Wednesday, August 18, beginning with the drivers meeting in the IMS Media Room at 2pm Eastern. Public gates open at 3pm with cars hitting the track for practice at 4pm, followed by opening ceremonies at 7pm. Heat races and the incredibly exciting Stoops Pursuit feature race will conclude the night’s racing action.
The finale, on Thursday, August 19, will have the public gates opening at 3pm and cars on track for practice at 4pm, with qualifying races to follow at 5pm. Opening ceremonies are slated for 7:30pm and immediately followed by the main feature events, starting with multiple D-Mains and C-Mains, the semi-feature and the 39-lap main event.
This year’s Driven2SaveLives BC39 Powered by NOS Energy Drink also will be the conclusion of nearly a week of exciting action on the road course and The Dirt Track at IMS. The NASCAR-INDYCAR tripleheader takes place Aug. 13-15, with the NTT INDYCAR SERIES and NASCAR Xfinity Series conducting separate races Saturday, Aug. 14 and the NASCAR Cup Series racing on the IMS road course for the first time Sunday, Aug. 15.
Visit www.IMS.com for more information on tickets to all IMS events in 2021.