By Adam Carabine & Logan Morris
This year, in preparation for the 2024 NASCAR season, we present our Team Previews Series. Each day until the end of January, a new Team Preview will be live on our website. Check back every day to see what we have to say about your favourite team!
Adam Carabine: We’re back to it once again, my friend. Logan, let’s dive in on RFK Racing - dare I say 2023’s most improved team? Let’s start there, to what do we chalk up this success?
Logan Morris: I think they took advantage of people like Penske and SHR taking steps back. You also have to give credit to Brad Keselowski, we were all skeptics when he left Penske. But, it’s clear his leadership has injected some much-needed life into the program. I think a lot of credit has to go to him, and the team he’s brought along.
AC: It’s funny, in a way, that Keselowski gets all of the credit, and yet Buescher is the one who stacked up a surprising three wins last season! But honestly, I do have to agree. It’s clear that the culture that BK has brought along with him is starting to pay off. The fact that we’re even ranking RFK ahead of Stewart-Haas is huge - if you’d predicted that when Keselowski switched over, you’d have been laughed out of town. All of this to say, though, let’s make sure we give Buescher his flowers too. Three wins is nothing to scoff at, while Brad is still looking to get off the schneid.
LM: Agreed. I’m not cutting the man from Prosper, TX out of his flowers. He deserves tons of credit, but the equipment change usually comes from the top.
AC: Keselowski is currently riding the second-highest winless streak in the Cup Series (and does Justin Haley really even count?). It’s been 98 races since he last won. Is this the year that Keselowski finds his way back to victory lane - and if not, is that a disappointment on the season?
LM: Absolutely it would be a disappointment. However, fear not RFK fans. Brad K will get that ever elusive win this season. You could feel the momentum shifting his way at various points in 2023, I think he gets it done at least once this season. Look for him to win on a superspeedway this season.
AC: It would be neat to see him win the Daytona 500 just to start the year off with a bang. In some of our previous Team Previews we’ve kind of picked which driver we think will do the best… is this the most competitive team as far as that’s concerned? Who do you have finishing higher in the standings? (I don’t feel like there’s a really strong case to be made either way, to be honest.)
LM: I’ll go with Brad K. I’m expecting big things from him this season. He’ll be an extremely consistent performer.
AC: You see, I think Chris Buescher builds on the momentum of last year and continues to grow. I think Brad K definitely gets a win in ‘24, but I think it’ll be another multi-win year for Buescher.
Stay tuned to our Team Previews Series tomorrow, as we visit the reigning champions - Team Penske!
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