08/08/2023
Buescher Scores Back-to-Back Wins as RFK Dominates at Roush ‘Hometrack’ at Michigan
BROOKLYN, Mich. (Aug. 7, 2023) – RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher turned in one of the strongest performances of his NASCAR career, leading a race-high 52 laps and holding off a charging Martin Truex Jr. to win Monday’s rain-delayed NASCAR Cup Series race at Michigan International Speedway.
“I am so proud of everyone at RFK and what we have been able to accomplish these last few years,” said Buescher after his second consecutive trip to victory lane. “It is Jack’s home track and Brad’s home track and this is where we needed one.
“To fight for it and have such a clean race there with Truex at the end,” added Buescher. “We had to keep digging on it. I am really proud of everybody. That was awesome to put our Castrol Edge Mustang in victory lane here at Michigan and we have road courses coming up, I am really excited for those.”
The win marked a record 14 for Hall of Fame team owner Jack Roush at his home track at Michigan.
Buescher’s teammate and team co-owner Brad Keselowski finished fourth, while leading 15 laps and further solidifying his position in the 2023 playoff standings; moving to eighth in the point standings with three races remaining before the cutoff.
“We’re letting our results speak for themselves,” said Keselowski. “Chris has done a heck of a job driving the car. When you get win, it feels really good. I’m very happy for all the folks at Castrol and RFK. There’s a lot of work going on here. We’re digging deep, getting the results. I’m so thankful and proud for everyone at RFK.”
17 Recap
Buescher started the race from the fourth spot – a career-best qualifying effort at the two-mile facility. He finished the opening stage in 11th – on Sunday – before the race resumed Monday at lap 82. He went on to finish 10th in the second stage, and stayed out under that stage break.
That strategy paid off as Buescher inherited the lead to begin the third stage. He held on to it until his green-flag pit stop with 43 to go. With the late-race cycle playing out, the race came down to a battle with he and the hard-charging No. 19.
The two broke through as 1-2 in the running order as Buescher took the lead back on lap 182, and led 27 of the final 28 laps en route to his fourth-career Cup win, and second straight.
6 Recap
Keselowski’s day began from the 12th positon as he ended the first stage in fourth, earning stage points en route to what was a solid points day for the NEXLIZET Ford Mustang.
He ran seventh when the race was postponed on Sunday, and restarted fifth once the race resumed Monday. With varying race strategies playing out, Keselowski remained on track and finished the second stage in third, earning more valuable stage points.
He began the third stage in the lead, and went on to lead 15 laps in total. His final pit stop came with 25 to go as he pitted from the lead, and despite the green-flag sequence, went on to pick off multiple cars in the closing laps to a strong top-five effort.
Up Next
The road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the next stop on the Cup Series schedule, with race action next Sunday set for 2:30 p.m. ET. TV coverage will be on NBC, with radio coverage on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
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