Sunday afternoon's race at Watkins Glen International ended with Chris Buescher celebrating in victory lane. This win had no impact on the playoff standings, but it helped RFK Racing match a milestone from 2013.
Buescher's win at the road course was RFK Racing's second win of the season. Driver-owner Brad Keselowski won the spring race at Darlington Raceway to lock up a spot in the playoffs.
Jack is so proud of his driver. pic.twitter.com/cMvw94D6Ma
— RFK Racing (@RFKracing) September 15, 2024
The last time more than one driver for the championship-winning organization won a race in a single season was in 2013. This occurred when RFK -- then Roush Fenway Racing -- had a lineup featuring Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards, and youngster Ricky Stenhouse JR.
Edwards was the first driver to reach victory lane for the organization in 2013. He won the spring race at Phoenix Raceway after leading 122 laps. Biffle then joined in on the fun in June by winning at Michigan International Speedway. He led 48 laps and held off Kevin Harvick to score his first win of the season.
Edwards returned to victory lane later in the season, giving Roush Fenway Racing three wins in 2013. He captured the summer race at Richmond and fended off former Roush driver Kurt Busch.
Multiple drivers under Jack Roush's leadership won races in the years following the 2013 season. Edwards won two more races in 2013 and then Stenhouse won twice in 2017. However, the team went through some struggles as the end of the Gen 6 era approached.
The situation has changed since Keselowski joined the leadership group in 2022. The team has steadily become more competitive contending for more wins and playoff appearances.
Keselowski and Buescher both missed the playoffs in 2022, their first season together, but Buescher won a race at Bristol Motor Speedway.
The Texas native then won three races last season while Keselowski pointed his way into the playoffs. Both made it to the Round of 8 while contending for spots in the Championship 4.
This season, while it matched the milestone, featured struggles and successes alike. Keselowski won a race early, but a rash of issues at Watkins Glen pushed him below the cutline. He has one more race to rebound and put himself in the Round of 12.
Buescher missed the playoffs despite running consistently due to the number of drivers winning races. There were not enough spots for him to point his way into the playoffs. He still won his sixth career Cup Series race after besting Shane van Gisbergen, one of the most accomplished road course racers on the planet.
"I think that many of you guys know the guiding principle at RFK is that we exist to win races and compete for championships," Steve Newmark, RFK Racing president, said after Sunday's race.
"I think their ability to go out there and win a race despite not being in the playoffs and despite having that disappointment is a testament that they are relentless. I think it's a huge lift for our organization because that's where we expect to be at this point in our evolution.