Brad Keselowski’s objective heading into the season was to have both RFK Racing drivers, including himself, qualified for the Cup Series playoffs by mid-June.
It’s the middle of June, and only Keselowski, thanks to his triumph at Darlington, has officially qualified for the Field of 16. Chris Buescher is not, despite multiple close calls this season as he seeks his first checkered flag.
With only 10 races remaining until the playoffs begin, Keselowski remains optimistic, even if he has recognized that it may not be as much as he imagined.
“That’s less than I thought,” Keselowski stated Friday after learning it was already June 14, according to Kelly Crandall of RACER. “But we’re quite pleased with how competitive the cars are. How effectively the teams work together, and how much chance and performance go into winning races. I believe we have solid automobiles right now.
“Were we as fast as Kyle Larson last week? No, we were not. We weren’t even close to that with any of our two vehicles. But I expect us to be very competitive over the next three weeks, with opportunities to win.”
RFK Racing’s Brad Keselowski and Chris Buescher have good seasons.
Aside from Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing, who have mainly dominated to this point, RFK Racing has likely been the most consistent team through 16 races. Keselowski is seventh in the points standings, with five top-three finishes in his last eight starts.
Meanwhile, Buescher has returned to 13th place. His season has been defined by heartbreak, with finishes of P3 in Sonoma, P2 at Kansas, and P2 in Phoenix. Buescher understands that time is of the essence, and that taking advantage of chances is critical.
“We’ve got to capitalize and conclude one of these things,” Buescher stated. At the outset of the season, the main goal was to secure a chance to win the title rather than simply play. We’re in a good situation, but not a spectacular one yet. We have to go through the next few races and make sure all of the pieces fit together and click properly. There has obviously been some displeasure with several aspects of it. But we’re doing our best not to let it continue to worsen.”
This item first appeared on 5 GOATS and was syndicated with permission.
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