Beyond the Flag
Fansided

NASCAR: Jack Roush looking forward to ‘not having so many wrecks’

By Asher Fair

DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA - JULY 07: Ricky Stenhouse Jr., driver of the #17 Fifth Third Bank Ford, is involved in an on-track incident during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 07, 2019 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images)
DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA - JULY 07: Ricky Stenhouse Jr., driver of the #17 Fifth Third Bank Ford, is involved in an on-track incident during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway on July 07, 2019 in Daytona Beach, Florida. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

With Ricky Stenhouse Jr. not returning to Roush Fenway Racing for the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season, team owner Jack Roush is looking forward to “not having so many wrecks”.

Despite the fact that it was confirmed last month that Ricky Stenhouse Jr. would drive for Roush Fenway Racing through at least the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series season, the team decided to cut him anyway.

After the 2019 season, Stenhouse will no longer drive the #17 Ford for the team after seven seasons doing so, a seven-year stint that followed three seasons of him driving for the team in the Xfinity Series.

Roush Fenway Racing announced that current JTG Daugherty Racing driver Chris Buescher will replace the 31-year-old Olive Branch, Mississippi native next season.

Team owner Jack Roush is pretty excited about Buescher replacing Stenhouse, and in expressing his excitement, he took a subtle jab at Stenhouse and his habitual crashing, habitual crashing that has landed him the nickname “Wrecky Stenhouse Jr.”.

Here is what Roush had to say about the matter, according to NBC Sports.

"“I look forward to having cars that are more similar for both drivers that we can develop from race to race by not having so many wrecks. Ryan’s done really well about keeping his car together and Chris has a history of doing the same thing.”"

More from NASCAR Cup Series

In other words, Stenhouse hasn’t, and now he’s out because of it.

Roush Fenway Racing previously confirmed that a lack of performance from Stenhouse, who currently sits in 23rd place in the championship standings while teammate Ryan Newman sits in ninth and in position to advance in the playoffs, is what ultimately resulted in him being cut from the team.

While Stenhouse is the only driver who has won a race for team since Carl Edwards left after the 2014 season, he has only won two races in his seven seasons driving for them, and he won both races at restrictor plate tracks in the 2017 season.

Roush is right about the consistency of Newman and Buescher. Newman hasn’t finished outside of the top 25 all season in his first season driving for Roush Fenway Racing while Buescher went on a 16-race streak of top 18 finishes earlier this season, something that no other driver has done all year.

Next. Top 10 NASCAR drivers of all-time. dark

Will the pairing of Chris Buescher and Ryan Newman work out better for Roush Fenway Racing in the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. out of the picture, particularly as it pertains to their cars both coming home in one piece?

Home/NASCAR Cup Series