Because the NASCAR Cup Sequence went to Darlington Raceway for the Cook dinner Out Southern 500, the stress gave the impression to be on only a handful of drivers. Amongst these drivers had been 23XI Racing’s Bubba Wallace and RFK Racing’s Chris Buescher. Each drivers certified for the NASCAR Cup Playoffs in 2023. Buescher and Wallace are amongst some main names that miss out on the playoffs this season.
Wallace entered the night time 21 factors out of the playoff discipline. As for Buescher he definitely thought he had the final spot within the playoffs coming into the race 21 factors to the nice. All the things appeared prefer it was going to work out for both Wallace or Buescher early within the race. Particularly when Martin Truex Jr crashed out of the race on lap three.
Issues shortly took a serious flip for each Wallace and Buescher because it quickly grew to become a dogfight for that last playoff spot. Each Truex and Ty Gibbs earned the opposite two spots obtainable coming into the night time. So it appeared like the ultimate battle was going to for positive come right down to Bubba and Chris.
Because it seems stress shortly acquired to each drivers as they had been busy attempting to outrace one another. That and one thing fully out of their management all however ended their probabilities.
Strain and New Winner Derail Playoff Hopes for Large Names at Darlington
Whereas Wallace and Buescher continued to struggle to remain forward of one another, different drivers additional beneath them within the standings had been taking benefit. It was that arduous to inform how the 2024 season has gone, a brand new winner was virtually a assure going into this last race of the common season.
With 46 laps to go within the race, Buescher discovered himself in bother as he and Todd Gilliland acquired collectively to trigger a warning. Which led to Wallace seeming to get the momentum in his favor for the ultimate playoff spot. That was a pattern all through the Southern 500 as each saved preventing to remain forward of the opposite. Formally Wallace wanted to complete 12 spots forward of Buescher to get the spot. After the Buescher-Gilliland incident, Wallace acquired forward of Buescher by about 10 spots, heading into an important restart.
Momentum then as soon as once more turned to Buescher as he had more energizing tires through the subsequent restart. Issues appeared to begin to fall Buescher’s approach when Bubba acquired caught up in a multi-car pile-up just a few laps later. That’s when luck fully modified for each drivers, as their lengthy doc battle through the race broadcast was fully made irrelevant, as Stewart-Haas Racing’s Chase Briscoe was profiting from all people.
Buescher Vents Frustration at System
Briscoe outdueled Kyle Busch for the win within the Southern 500 and received his approach into the NASCAR Playoffs. In doing so he claimed the ultimate spot, and knocked Buescher out, regardless of Chris ending the race in sixth. Formally he missed the playoffs by six factors, which is a tricky tablet to swallow given how nicely he carried out all season.
