KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – Chase Briscoe will pay tribute to his racing idol and his team owner, Tony Stewart, when the NASCAR Xfinity Series visits Darlington Raceway on Sept. 5 as part of the annual NASCAR throwback weekend.
Briscoe’s No. 98 Highpoint.com Ford Mustang will shed its typical blue-and-white livery during the Sport Clips Haircuts VFW 200. In its place, Briscoe’s Ford will carry a black-and-white scheme with bold red accents that emulate the Mobil 1 design Stewart piloted to a five-win playoff campaign in 2011.
In fact, HighPoint, a leading customer service and technology solutions company, has even incorporated the red “o” in Mobil 1’s logo into its own identification, with the “o” in HighPoint an equally bright red. It is the first time in the company’s 24-year-history that it has temporarily altered its logo.
“This is our first year in NASCAR, and even with the challenges we’ve all faced amid COVID-19, it’s been a fantastic experience,” said Mike Mendiburu, president and CEO, HighPoint. “Chase and Stewart-Haas Racing embody so many of the fundamentals that shape our company. They are relentless, so when opportunities present themselves, they seize them and reap the benefits. Our throwback paint scheme is one of those moments. It’s a great way to showcase all that Tony Stewart has accomplished and our partnership with him, while highlighting Chase’s abilities and his run to an Xfinity Series championship.”
Briscoe was 16 years old when a 40-year-old Stewart tore through the NASCAR Playoffs, winning the first two races of the 10-race playoffs and then three of the last four, including the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway where Stewart led four times for 65 laps to seal the title in a tiebreaker over Carl Edwards.
“I’ve always been a diehard Tony Stewart fan,” said Briscoe, who now races for his idol at Stewart-Haas Racing, the team Stewart co-owns with Haas Automation founder Gene Haas. “When Tony sets his sights on something, there’s nothing you can do to stop him, and that title run in 2011 was a perfect example.
“Now here I am running for an Xfinity Series championship, and I’m trying to do exactly what Tony did in 2011. To have his title-winning paint scheme on my HighPoint.com Ford Mustang is as much of a way to honor him as it is for me to stay focused on my ultimate goal of winning a championship.”