DARLINGTON, S.C.— Brad Keselowski used to describe solid runs as blue-collar days.
The team owner/driver seems to have passed that philosophy on to Chris Buescher in the short time the teammates have worked together at Roush-Fenway Keselowski Racing.
Buescher didn’t have the sexiest of races in Sunday’s Southern 500 and Darlington Raceway, but he salvaged a third-place finish behind race winner Kyle Larson and second-place Tyler Reddick.
“We were trying,” said Buescher, who started eighth. “It was just we were all running the same groove trying to make speed and obviously playing other games there, too, and (William) Byron was faster at the end and (I) had to defend that a little bit.”
Byron finished fourth, followed by Ross Chastain and Keselowski. But for Buescher, who had never managed a top-five result at the Track Too Tough toTame before Sunday, scoring his first podium finish was quite the accomplishment.
“We tried to (re)start on the front row—what, three times next to (Kyle) Larson, so we had our chance,” Buescher said. “Got close when Brad pushed us one of those restarts, and just the outside had the momentum for sure, and they were really good.
“But proud of everybody. This buildsubmarines.com Ford Mustang, this is the first time we’ve had Build Subs on board the 17 car, so proud to have a good run with them. A bunch of them here with us tonight. It’s awesome. Good for Darlington, good for the Southern 500. I’m proud of that.
But also hurts just a little bit to be that close.”
Buescher finished ninth in Stage 1 on Lap 115. He was running seventh when NASCAR red-flagged the race when the lights malfunctioned through Turns 3 and 4 on Lap 180. When Buescher entered his pit box on Lap 183, the No. 17 Ford caught fire. Once the team completed the pitstop, he lined up 13th.
Buescher was 11th when the third caution occurred on Lap 217, then dropped to 13th—just prior to the fourth caution on Lap 229. In a one-lap shoot-out to determine Stage 2, Buescher finished 13th.
With 130 laps to decide the contest, Buescher restarted eighth. He quickly moved up to seventh after a cycle of green-flag pit stops. As the drivers cycled back into position, race leader Denny Hamlin reported he had a loose wheel and was forced to return to the pits on Lap 274. By Lap 300, Buescher was comfortably running sixth.
With three additional cautions, Buescher made the most of the restarts. He lined up second for the final two runs but Reddick was able to regain second running the high line behind Larson.
While Buescher was disappointed with finishing third, he knows consistent finishes will carry him through the Playoffs.
“We talked about it a lot this week,” said Buescher, who moved up to fourth in the point standings. “We know what we’re doing. We’ve been doing it and it’s been working and it’s been resulting in wins.
“It’s not that we need to change up what we’re after. It’s just status quo right now. The things we’re doing are getting us opportunities to win races, and we’re capitalizing on the best days and capitalizing on great days like here tonight.
“It’s a long race. I know it’s grueling for drivers, but for crews and the fans, proud of everybody for sticking it out with us. Our pit crew really stepped up there in the end and got us several spots and put us up front here in clean enough air, so great job by everybody, and off to Kansas.”
Follow Lee Spencer on Twitter @CandiceSpencer or email her at: [email protected].
