HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. — Chase Briscoe and Joe Gibbs Racing confirmed that the NASCAR driver will replace retiring Martin Truex Jr. in the No. 19 Toyota for the 2025 Cup Series season, days after driver Christopher Bell accidentally spoiled the surprise at a news conference.
Bell was asked an innocuous question over the weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway about a potential leadership shift at JGR in the wake of Truex’s retirement.
“Whenever Chase comes into the car …,” he started to say.
Bell stopped instantly and smiled, a realization sweeping over him that there was no going back on this blunder. Briscoe would in fact inherit the No. 19 Toyota next season at JGR.
JGR poked fun at the mishap at Tuesday’s news conference to introduce Briscoe in North Carolina.
“Since I had the mistake of starting this,” Bell said. “I guess I’ll get to finish it out today.”
With that, Bell introduced Briscoe, set to become the first driver among the four at Stewart-Haas Racing to land a Cup ride for next season. SHR, a two-time NASCAR championship team with 69 Cup Series victories since its 2009 formation, announced last month that it would close its organization at the end of this season. SHR this year fields Cup cars for Briscoe, Josh Berry, Noah Gragson and Ryan Preece.
“We have to win,” Gibbs said. “We think Chase can win.”
Briscoe, who signed a multiyear contract, is 16th in the Cup points standings after a runner-up finish in Sunday’s race at New Hampshire. In his Cup Series career, he has one victory, 12 top-five finishes, 27 top-10s and two poles.
“JGR is the place to be if you want to go win races week in and week out and to race for the championship every year,” Briscoe said.
Bass Pro will remain as a sponsor, including for the 2025 Daytona 500. Truex has won 34 Cup races, 32 since 2015. He had a career-high eight wins in 2017, when he won the series championship. He will remain with JGR as an ambassador.
Briscoe will be paired with crew chief James Small. Small has helped lead Truex to eight wins since he became crew chief in 2020.
“Chase’s proven high character and racing acumen will fit perfectly amongst the talented drivers in the Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota camps,” TRD president David Wilson said.
WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. — NASCAR Xfinity Series points leader Connor Zilisch broke his collarbone after a hard fall in Victory Lane at Watkins Glen International.
After his series-leading sixth victory, Zilisch was climbing onto the roof of his No. 88 Chevrolet to celebrate. He slipped after apparently getting his left foot caught in the driver’s side window netting and tumbled awkwardly onto the asphalt.
Zilisch, 19, was taken on a backboard to the trackside medical center and then transported to a hospital for further evaluation. He posted on X about two hours later that he had a broken collarbone and that CT scans showed no head injury.
“Thank you everybody for reaching out today,” Zilisch posted. “I’m out of the hospital and getting better already. Thankful for all the medics for quick attention and grateful it wasn’t any worse.”
Thank you everybody for reaching out today. I’m out of the hospital and getting better already. Thankfully, CT scans for my head are clear, I just have a broken collarbone. Thankful for all the medics for quick attention and grateful it wasn’t any worse.❤️
Zilisch will not be available for the Cup race Sunday at Watkins Glen. After racing in the Truck and Xfinity Series the past two days at the road course, he was scheduled to complete a tripleheader by making his fourth Cup start this season for Trackhouse Racing.
The scary incident capped an eventful day for Zilisch, who drives for Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s JR Motorsports team.
After starting from the pole position, Zilisch wrecked teammate Shane van Gisbergen’s car while battling for the lead on Lap 65. After being bumped from the lead to fifth on a restart, Zilisch retook first and led the final four laps.
“He did such a great job of getting back through the field and getting the lead,” crew chief Mardy Lindley told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio after the race. “Praying for Connor right now that he’s OK. I think he’s going to be fine.”
Zilisch missed a race earlier this season at Texas Motor Speedway after suffering a back injury during a crash at Talladega Superspeedway. He has 11 consecutive top-five finishes and five wins since his return.
Right-hander Luis Severino, who recently has pitched like the high-priced free agent the Athletics signed in the offseason, was placed on the 15-day injured list Saturday because of a left oblique strain.
The move is retroactive to Wednesday.
The A’s called up left-hander Hogan Harris from Triple-A Las Vegas in a corresponding transaction.
Severino signed a $67 million, three-year contract in December with the A’s, but he can opt out after next season. It was largest-ever contract for the typically low-spending A’s, though they since made other similar deals with Brent Rooker ( $60 million over five years ) and Lawrence Butler ( $65.5 million over seven years ) in anticipation of their scheduled move to Las Vegas in 2028.
Unless he agrees to an extension, the 31-year-old Severino likely won’t be part of those plans.
He started slow this season, but in his past five starts went 4-1 with a 2.93 ERA and 30 strikeouts over 27 2/3 innings. That improved his record to 6-11 with a 4.82 ERA.
ATLANTA — Jen Pawol felt love and support from fans, family, peers and players as she made history as the first female umpire to work a regular-season game in the major leagues.
“It was amazing when we took the field,” Pawol said. “It seemed like quite a few people were clapping and calling my name. That was pretty intense and emotional.”
Pawol’s much-anticipated debut came as the first base umpire for Saturday’s first game of a split doubleheader between the Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins. It was a smooth debut.
“She did a good job,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “You can tell she knows what she does.”
Pawol said she had a group of about 30 friends and family members, including her father, at the game and she immediately identified a major difference of working in a major league stadium. Those familiar faces were not so easy to find at Truist Park.
“When I looked up they weren’t in the lower tier like in the minor leagues,” Pawol said. “When I looked up it took me a while. Whoa, they’re up there! I’ll never forget that. That was just awesome.
“The dream actually came true today. I’m still living in it. I’m so grateful to my family and Major League Baseball for creating such an incredible work environment … I’m just so thankful.”
Pawol’s first real test came in the third inning of Atlanta’s 7-1 win when she called Braves catcher Sean Murphy safe on a close play. Marlins manager Clayton McCullough did not challenge the call.
Pawol also showed she will make animated calls. When Miami’s Xavier Edwards grounded into a double play in the third inning, Pawol pumped her fist and lifted her leg when she called Edwards out.
Pawol couldn’t help but notice her debut was being watched closely. Fans responded with a warm ovation when the video board focused on the umpire between innings, forcing her to take a quick glance at her image.
After the game, Pawol donated the hat she wore during her historic debut to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
A landmark day for women in baseball and another Diamond Dream achieved.
— National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum ⚾ (@baseballhall) August 9, 2025
Pawol was scheduled to work third base in Saturday night’s second game of the doubleheader. She will be in the spotlight when she calls pitches behind the plate in Sunday’s final game of the series. As a rover, she’ll then be waiting for her next assignment.
While she waits, the umpire cap she wore in her first game will be on the way to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
“This is one of the proudest moments in all my career,” crew chief Chris Guccione said. “I’ve been blessed with working playoffs, I’ve worked two World Series, All-Star games, and this is right up there. It gives me chills even thinking about it. And the magnitude, it just hit me just now the magnitude of this thing and how hard she’s worked.
“This is just a great role model for girls and women out there and I’m just so proud of her. This is a special moment. I’m so proud of her.”
There was much anticipation for her historic debut on Saturday. A crowd of photographers gathered while waiting for the umpires to walk onto the field from their entry ramp near the Marlins dugout.
McCullough and Braves bench coach Walt Weiss greeted Pawol when lineups were exchanged at home plate before the game. Pawol then jogged down the first base line. She shook hands with Marlins first base coach Tyler Smarslok before taking her position on the right field line for the first pitch.
Pawol said Thursday she was “overcome with emotion” when notified she would make her Major League Baseball debut this weekend.
Pawol, 48, has been working in the minor leagues since she was assigned to the Gulf Coast League in 2016. She was assigned the Triple-A championship game in 2023 and worked spring training games in 2024 and again this year.
“Anytime anybody grinds their way through the minor leagues, I don’t care who it is, that’s a tough thing,” Snitker said. “I’m happy for anybody who grinds it out.”
Asked if she is prepared for a confrontation with a manager upset about a call, including some known to kick dirt onto umpires, Pawol said it wouldn’t be the first time.
“More than dozens of times,” she said. “It doesn’t go very well for him. The night is usually over for him. It’s just part of the game.”
Pawol, who is from New Jersey, had only a few days to prepare for Saturday’s doubleheader. She said she was told of her long-awaited promotion during a Wednesday conference call with director of umpire development Rich Rieker and vice president of umpire operations Matt McKendry.
Pawol was a three-time all-conference softball selection pick at Hofstra. She worked as an NCAA softball umpire from 2010-16.
Pawol’s rise to make MLB history came 28 years after the NBA gender barrier for game officials was broken and 10 years after the NFL hired its first full-time female official. The men’s soccer World Cup first hired a female referee three years ago. The NHL has not had any women as on-ice officials.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
