Fans Demand Attention for the “Playoff Dark Horse” Who Is Edging Out Chase Elliott

Finally, the Fords are back in action after a stellar show of dominance at Richmond Raceway. The all-American manufacturer displayed true grit and tenacity to edge out Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas while destroying their rival HMS Chevrolets mercilessly, with four out of the top six cars being Fords.

RFK Racing was the front-runner, leading almost 190 laps with their cars seizing the moment and laying siege. On the other hand, NASCAR’s poster boy and 2020 Cup Series champ, Chase Elliott, who was eying a much-needed win to keep his playoff hopes alive, once again folded under the frantic pace of the short track as he finished 13th, the best by any Hendrick Motorsports Chevy.

Ford sacks the throne while Hendrick Motorsports Chevys lose the battle as Chase Elliott brings a sigh of hope

While the #9 driver’s Richmond performance acted as a fig leaf, saving the HMS camp from total humiliation, by all means, the short-track action was no way near what the community or Chase Elliott hoped it would be. With the playoffs closing in, the 2020 title holder still is chasing his first win of the season to keep his championship hopes afloat.

Other than Elliott who finished 13th, no other HMS cars came close with Kyle Larson and William Byron crossing the finish line in the middle at 19th and 21st, respectively. However, what captivated the community was RFK Racing’s resurgence at the 0.75-mile track as Chris Buescher racked up his 3rd career win and his first of this season.

The 30-year-old underdog proved his and RFK Racing’s mettle when he kept Denny Hamlin at bay with an exceptional 6-second lead. It was Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney of Team Penske who brought Ford their first two wins of the season amid the bleak streak, the Prosper native brought them their third, making his mark and earning a solid playoff berth, something Elliott is struggling to do.

Though the late restart looked menacing as the veteran Hamlin looked for a final rally to steal a win, his poor restart sealed the deal for Buescher who cruised into the victory lane after leading 88 laps with fans lauding the driver’s impressive run as,

“Buescher is honestly a playoff dark horse at the moment. He’ll be a legit contender at Bristol, Talladega, the Roval, Martinsville, and Phoenix. If things go right, he could have a playoff run akin to Christopher Bell’s last year.”

WATCH THIS STORY: Bubba Wallace agrees with Chase Elliott as they point out one glaring issue with NASCAR 

Witnessing the resurgence fans were ecstatic to see the RFK duo acing the track and putting the HMS camp to shame.

Fans going the fun as they laud Buescher, naming him as the “most underrated driver in the series”

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The stars were all aligned for the 30-year-old Chris Buescher as he surged to this 3rd career win at Richmond. Not only was Sunday’s race a great underdog story but it was also a tight slap to anyone who underestimated Ford’s capabilities. Unlike Team Penske and Stewart-Haas Racing cars, RFK Racing equipment had speed and consistency with co-owner Brad Keselowski and the #17 driver leading 190 laps.

With the duo bringing the manufacturer their deserved win, Ford fans were having a ball seeing the veteran Keselowski pick up valuable stage points by winning Stage 2 and Buescher claiming his first win of the season.

Redditers lauded the driver mentioning how he turned around the game:

“Buescher has always outperformed his equipment. Now that he’s in solid cars now, we can see what he can do now. He finished top 20 in points in a JTG car.”

While other fans deemed him the most underrated driver:

“Buescher has been the most underrated driver in the series for a while, I am so glad to see him finally getting the Ws and the respect he deserves” 

Another user mentioned how he gave Chase Elliott a run for his money during his Xfinity days, “I knew he was good. He beat Chase Elliott straight up in a Xfinity championship years ago, and I knew then Chase was going to be a star.” 

READ MORE: “Am I Ever Going to Be Happy?” – HMS Driver Chase Elliott Concerned About His Car Struggles as He Sits Out of the Playoff Bubble

While everyone was praising the driver for coming up with such a performance, an ardent fan also noted the team’s massive stride over the years, becoming one of the best Ford teams in the series, “I don’t think he’s upped his game but more of Roush has. He’s been held back for a while and we’re now starting to see the true talents of Chris Buescher.”