RFK Racing and Brad Keselowski have the entire NASCAR nation in awe. Though the current season started out on shaky legs for the #6 driver and his teammate, it looks like we have a new championship contender from the Ford camp. Unlike some of the top Ford teams in the promotion, veteran Keselowski’s RFK Racing did what they all thought was impossible.
The 2 car team has got both its drivers qualified for the playoff 16, something even Tony Stewart and his Stewart-Haas Racing camp failed to do. While the 2012 Cup Series champion, Keselowski is yet to claim a win, his RFK prodigy and Ford’s new sensation is steadily following in his boss’ footsteps.
Brad Keselowski’s and his driver’s emphatic parallel
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RFK Racing’s #17 driver, Chris Buescher has captured the fans’ attention with 3 stunning victories, catapulting himself into the championship contention. The 30-year-old driver gave Ford fans new hope amid Team Penske cars’ and SHR cars’ underwhelming performances.
Although this is his 2nd time in the Cup Series post-season, in a way this feels like his first time. While the driver managed to make the playoffs in his rookie season when a weather-shortened race at Pocono Raceway gave him a shot, this time around, things are far, far different.
The Prosper native’s stellar streak has all the elements to it. From a short-track win at Richmond and a high-speed win at the traditional oval in MIS to his landslide win at the iconic Daytona International Speedway, his 2023 resume highlights his versatility as a seasoned driver. Couple that with a potent machine from the RFK Racing camp, and things not only look great but promise a lot to Ford fans rather than just a lucky playoff entry.
One other aspect that needs attention is the driver’s iconic rise to the top, which draws similarities to his boss Brad Keselowski. Much like the veteran, Buescher’s breakout 2023 performance is very much reminiscent of the #6’s rise. While Keselowski brought a breath of fresh air to the downtrodden Roush Fenway team, after getting multiple cars into the playoffs after 2014, the #17 driver has far more parallel with his boss.
Both drivers are exceptional racers and there’s no question about it. But both have struggled to make a mark in the Series despite an early victory. While Keselowski got his first Cup Series win at Talladega in 2009, he struggled to find rhythm till he netted his 2nd one at Kansas 2 years later. And it certainly looks like the veteran driver too is going down the same road. Like the 2012 champion, Buescher too needed time to find the perfect balance to get back to the victory lane.
Chris Buescher’s fiery escape at Darlington
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The 2023 season, so far, has been beyond any NASCAR pundit’s predictions. The majority of them wrote off Chris Buescher and the #17 RFK Racing team. But the driver shattered all such lowly expectations, acing the Richmond and yet again stunning the community with another stellar show of dominance to rack up his 2nd win of the season at Michigan.
This spectacular win acted as a morale booster for all Ford fans and the entire camp. He did it once again at Daytona, where he clinched his 3rd win of the season to declare himself as a championship-caliber driver. Prior to this season, Buescher had 10 top fives, including two wins, through the first 257 races of his Cup Series career. Now, as we get past 27 races this year, he already has seven top-fives with 3 emphatic wins.
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“I’m sitting there and I’m just thinking… I’ve got to finish this stop.”
We sat down with Dalton Leonard (rear changer) and Nicholas Patterson (jackman) for the No. 17 car to get their perspectives on Saturday night’s fiery pit stop 🔥🛞 pic.twitter.com/31DUxq4WUG
— RFK Racing (@RFKracing) September 5, 2023
Buescher even secured a top 5 finish last week at Southern 500, finishing 3rd. The community also witnessed an unexpected fiery show when the #17 Ford pitted in lap 192. During the quick pit stop, they refueled the car and a spark from the change-up of tires caused a fire.
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WATCH THIS STORY: Brad Keselowski goes berserk on the radio after NASCAR’s Rick Hendrick favoritism
While things got out of hand with a spark igniting the fire, the #17’s crew showed their grit as they soldiered on to finish what they started, quickly handling the situation like professionals.