Buescher Upsets in Wild Bristol Night Race

Photo by Peter Stratta/TSJSports

NASCAR

Chris Buescher Wins Bristol, Playoff Heavyweights Eliminated in Chaotic Night

BRISTOL, Tenn. – The first Playoff elimination in the Bristol Night Race lived up to all anticipation. Attrition, drama, and an upset winner were all wrapped up in 500 laps around the half-mile. For the third-straight week, a non-Playoff driver takes the victory, as Chris Buescher is triumphant for RFK Racing in the No. 17 Fastenal Ford. This now ties 2022 with 2001 at 19 different winners. Aside from the winner though, plenty of Playoff contenders ran into troubles, with some serious title threats left out after Bristol.

Brad Keselowski won a relatively clean Stage 1, as the 6 opted to never pit in the opening 125 laps. RFK Racing appeared to be well on their way to sweeping both Stages, as Chris Buescher led laps in Stage 2 as well. However, the 17 would be passed late in this second segment by Christopher Bell.

Not long after Stage 3 began, a Bristol favorite ran into terminal issues. Kyle Busch suffered a blown motor, putting the 18 out of the race just past halfway. This early retirement would put Busch in a precarious points position, which ultimately left him below the Round of 12 cut.

Not long after Busch’s issues, Daniel Suarez triggered a major incident by getting loose on corner exit. The spinning No. 99 would collect multiple others, including contenders Austin Dillon, Tyler Reddick, Alex Bowman, Austin Cindric, Chase Elliott, Ross Chastain, and Chase Briscoe. Damage from this incident ultimately eliminated both RCR cars, as Dillon and Reddick failed to make the cut after this point.

After Bell and Kyle Larson took turns up front, Brad Keselowski took the lead away with just over 100 laps to go. The 6’s turn out front late would be short-lived though, as Keselowski suffered a blown tire from the top spot. The same fate would also befall Bell, handing the lead over to Chris Buescher.

With a two-tire call on his final pit stop, Buescher had track position and never looked back. After so many close wins this season, Buescher finally ends his long losing drought at the Bristol Night Race.

“This has been number one on my list for a really long time,” Buescher said. “I actually love this racetrack. It’s my favorite place we come on concrete. It’s just so special to get Fastenal their first points Cup race. After all these years we finally got them into Victory Lane. We’ve got a bunch of Fastenal folks out here with us, so that’s really special and to get Ford in Victory Lane and spoil the Playoffs.”

“Everybody on this team did such a great job, executed all day long and we had a really fast Ford Mustang. A lot of special things came together. I want to give a shout out to Adam Reagan. He’s back at home and just had some knee surgery, so he’s at home recovering. I’m just so excited right now. This is one I’ve had circled for a really long time and if there was gonna be one this year to get, this is it.”

“This is big to get RFK their first win and to get to talk to Jack and Brad and have our owners excited and pumped up to get back in Victory Lane is a great feeling. Hopefully it’s the first of many. I feel like we’ve taken some big steps, so it’s special to get here. I appreciate Jack and everything he’s done for my career through the years and giving me a chance very early on and all the people back then – Robbie Reiser and Ken Ragan, David Ragan, all those that have done so much for my career and, of course, my parents and my family as well. It’s all come to this. This one is a little more special than the first one even, so it’s pretty big.”

While driver Brad Keselowski had a disappointing result, owner Keselowski celebrated big as a race-winner. Since Keselowski made the move into team ownership this year, Bristol marks the first time Keselowski’s won a points-paying Cup race in his new role.

Behind Buescher were Chase Elliott, William Byron, Christopher Bell, Kyle Larson, Ross Chastain, AJ Allmendinger, Cole Custer, Denny Hamlin, and Kevin Harvick. Failing to find victory lane in a must-win scenario, Harvick is the fourth driver eliminated from the Playoffs in Bristol. Hear from some of these drivers and other Playoff contenders below.

Buescher’s win is historic in a few separate aspects. It marks 19 different drivers winning through 29 weeks of 2022, tying the modern-era record for most parity in a season. Buescher also scores his first win since 2016’s fog-shortened Pocono race, a span of 223 races. This also marks the first win for Roush since 2017. Bristol breaks the second-longest losing drought in NASCAR history, only falling a few weeks short of Bill Elliott’s 226-race dry spell (1994-2001). 

With seven races left in 2022, can we see an unprecedented and record-breaking 20th different winner? The Playoffs are 3-for-3 on new victors so far and on non-contenders finding victory lane.

The new points for the Round of 12 have Chase Elliott re-racked as the top seed. With races at Texas, Talladega, and the Charlotte Roval, this round could be the most treacherous and unpredictable.

The Round of 12 opener from Texas Motor Speedway is next, as 500 miles in the Lone Star State have the chance to put one driver onto the Round of 8. Coverage of the Autotrader Echo Park Automotive 500 is Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET on USA Network, PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Could Texas see a NASCAR first, with four-straight Playoff races won by non-contenders?

Written by Peter Stratta

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Photo Credit to Peter Stratta/TSJSports