Chris Buescher Rise: Two months prior to Ryan Blaney’s stunning advancement into the Championship 4 after his triumph at Martinsville, another Ford driver had astounded the crowd with an impressive performance. Brad Keselowski’s complete overhaul of RFK Racing last year paid off, and his #17 driver’s success made Keselowski proud.
While analysts naturally hold high expectations for Team Penske’s Cup champion, it’s essential not to overlook Chris Buescher’s significant progress. Keselowski, harboring a burgeoning star in Buescher, aims to fulfill this year’s unmet playoff aspirations.
Despite his elimination in the Round of 8 this season, the 31-year-old driver has taken monumental strides. Buescher secured his maiden race win in his rookie year back in 2016. The elusive checkered flag remained out of reach until he seized the opportunity with Brad Keselowski last year. Although the fruits of Keselowski’s labor weren’t immediately evident last year, three incredible wins this year have affirmed RFK Racing’s proclamation of Buescher’s potential as a champion racer in the making.
Through the Round of 12, the #17 driver was considered a favorite over Ryan Blaney to reach the Championship 4 race in Phoenix. While Blaney emerged stronger in the end and is even being tipped to conquer the season-opening Daytona 500 next year according to MRN’s Mike Bagley, attention also revolves around the potential return of fan favorite Chase Elliott, who missed qualifying for this season’s playoffs. Surprisingly, it’s neither Elliott nor Denny Hamlin leading the off-season betting charts.
Mike Bagley, the host of MRN’s NASCAR Live Wide Open podcast, revealed the current favorites. Following Ryan Blaney, the second favorite to win the Daytona 500 now, if you pay close attention, it might not be surprising, but it’s still unexpected it’s Chris Buescher. Vegas has Chris Buescher at 11-1 odds to win the Daytona 500 right now, alongside Chase Elliott and Brad Keselowski,” he shared.
This revelation might surprise racing fans, yet it hardly astonishes Buescher’s team owner, Brad Keselowski.
Approaching the conclusion of the regular season, neither Brad Keselowski nor Chris Buescher had secured any victories. However, as Buescher seemed sidelined from discussions surrounding the season’s title, the #17 driver clinched consecutive wins in Richmond and Michigan and culminated the regular season with another triumph at the Daytona International Speedway.
Following the victory, RFK Racing emerged as the team to watch in the playoffs. NASCAR’s Alex Weaver inquired about Keselowski’s opinion on his promising driver. Despite Buescher falling short of Phoenix, he delivered a career-best 7th place finish, achieving 9 Top-5 and 17 Top-10 finishes.
Before the upcoming season, Brad Keselowski would undoubtedly reassert his prior belief, “I knew when joining RFK that Chris was a hidden gem. I felt he just needed the right people and equipment around him. We’ve provided that, and he’s blossomed into the person I always believed he could be.”
While this season may have belonged to Team Penske, RFK Racing is poised to return and compete for victory at Daytona.
ALSO READ: Chris Buescher 2023 Victories: A Season of Highs and Optimism
Our Reader’s Queries
Has Chris Buescher ever won a NASCAR Cup race?
In August 2023, Buescher clinched his fifth Cup Series victory at the Daytona International Speedway.
Are James Buescher and Chris Buescher related?
Buescher is related to Chris Buescher, the 2015 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion. Chris competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series for RFK Racing.
Who owns Chris Buescher NASCAR?
After securing his first win with RFK Racing, Chris Buescher is back in the Nascar Cup Series garage with a renewed sense of determination. As the team’s first win since 2017, Buescher’s victory has put him in a prime position to contend for the playoffs. With the guidance of co-owner Brad Keselowski, the 2015 Xfinity Series champion is thriving and poised for success.
