NASCAR Cup Series: 5 drivers who will regress in 2024
By Asher Fair
No. 4 - Chris Buescher
Speaking of RFK Racing, Chris Buescher had a career year in 2023 after a promising end to the 2022 season saw him win the night race at Bristol Motor Speedway, marking his first victory since he won a rain-shortened race at Pocono Raceway as a rookie with Front Row Motorsports in 2016.
Buescher won a career-high three races in 2023, more than doubling his career win total, and he did it by winning three consecutive oval races at three very different tracks: Richmond Raceway, Michigan International Speedway, and Daytona International Speedway.
Those wins earned him his first playoff appearance since 2016, and he actually would have gotten into the playoffs on points as well.
RFK Racing have shown no signs of slowing down after a major resurgence in 2023, so Buescher is poised for another strong year. But will his 2024 season be as good as his 2023 season?
While teammate and team co-owner Brad Keselowski is still searching for his first victory since leaving Team Penske at the end of the 2021 season, he actually scored more total points than Buescher throughout the 2023 season. It was only an eight-point difference (1,034 vs. 1,026), but Buescher trailed even with three wins to his credit.
After a disappointing 2022 season, Keselowski proved in 2023 that he didn't forget how to drive overnight. If the 2012 champion manages to break through, how well will Buescher be able to keep up? To be frank, probably quite well, just maybe not as well as last year.