DARLINGTON, S.C. — Chris Buescher removed his helmet, climbed from his car and headed directly for Tyler Reddick on pit road after Sunday’s Cup race at Darlington Raceway.
In a matter of steps — about the same amount of time it took for Buescher’s chances to score his first victory of the season end due to Reddick — Buescher confronted Reddick, shoved him and yelled “What was that about?”
Reddick, with his helmet still on, leaned toward Buescher so he could hear Reddick’s muffled voice.
“As soon as I knew it wasn’t going to work, I tried to back out,” Reddick said.
That was too late.
Sunday’s race turned when Reddick attempted to pass Buescher for the lead with 10 laps to go. Reddick dived down the track and looked to slide up in front of Buescher. Instead, Reddick slid into Buescher’s car, forcing Buescher into the wall.
They both had to pit for a cut tire, while Brad Keselowski took the lead and went on to score his first victory since April 2021. Buescher finished 30th. Reddick was 32nd.
Brad Keselowski captures first win for RKF Racing: 3 takeaways from Darlington
Brad Keselowski’s victory snapped a 110-race winless streak.
On pit road after the race, Reddick looked at a fiery Buescher, who has had the past two races taken from him, and said to him: “The last thing I want to do is drive through your car. I could care less about mine. I’m sorry.”
Buescher leaned toward Reddick and said forcefully: “It doesn’t work for me.”
Buescher looked past Reddick and focused on the win sticker above the door of Reddick’s car from his Talladega triumph last month.
“We don’t,” Buescher said, pointing at the sticker “have that (win) sticker on our door right now. You need to be better.”
Without a win this season, Buescher’s playoff chances are not assured. He is 14th in the playoff standings at the midpoint of the regular season. Buescher is only 15 points ahead of Bubba Wallace, the first driver outside a playoff spot, after Sunday’s race.
Buescher then pointed at Reddick and said: “We’ve raced each other just fine for so long.”
He turned and walked away.
“Sorry dude.” Reddick said.
Standing by his car a few moments later, Reddick said: “(Buescher) was going to win that race had I not tried that.”
A couple of car lengths away, Buescher leaned against the wall separating pit road from the track and tried to come to grasp with another painful defeat.
Last week, Buescher lost by .001 seconds to Kyle Larson in the closest finish in NASCAR history. Buescher admitted this week that the finish was “bothersome for two days.”
This may take longer to get over.
“This one here, to ruin both our days or something like that,” Buescher said shaking his head, “I’m struggling to understand the reason.”
Source link
