By: Zach Catanzareti, Staff Writer
Each week, Kickin’ The Tires will highlight the 20th-place finisher from the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Standing as the middleman in weekends with 40-car fields, there is sure to be a story behind each one.
Sunday’s Foxwoods Casino Resort 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway was an interesting day for the sport: Uncertain weather, another test with the VHT and the one and only race for New Hampshire in 2018.
For JTG Daugherty Racing, it was a little good and a little bad with their two-car team. AJ Allmendinger was the bad, crashing out of the race only on lap 19 while Chris Buescher was the good, finishing in 20th position in his No. 37.
In fact, Allmendinger’s early accident nearly swept up Buescher as well, however, the third-year Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver was able to avoid and continue through the opening stage.
Starting 24th, Buescher saw little improvement during the race, showing only small improvements in the opening two stages.
It wasn’t until the final stage where Buescher slowly advanced into the top 20. A 39-lap green-flag run to the checkered went caution-free, which became a negative for Buescher when he lost a lap to the leaders. He, however, held the free-pas spot for the remainder of the race.
Grabbing a top 20, his first at New Hampshire in five starts, was also his ninth of this season through 20 races. Outside of his two top fives at Daytona this year, top 20s have been the name of the game for steady performances. It’s what we’ve come to expect from the JTG camp.
Sunday’s run didn’t blow the doors off people but it did help the No. 37 slightly in points, jumping Darrell Wallace Jr. for 23rd. With the exception of Allmendinger’s chance at Watkins Glen in two weeks, a playoff spot seems out of the question for JTG.
Buescher’s best two shots so far came at Daytona and we’re done with plate racing until the playoffs. So, where are the team’s goals for the year? Obviously, it’s to win their way in. But looking realistically, it’s to build off days like Sunday — decent top 20s — and turn them into top 10s.
Buescher returns to Pocono Raceway this weekend where he grabbed his first and only Cup win in 2016.
List of 20th-Place Finishers So Far in 2018
Daytona: Gray Gaulding
Atlanta: Alex Bowman
Las Vegas: Trevor Bayne
ISM: Trevor Bayne (2)
Auto Club: Darrell Wallace Jr.
Martinsville: William Byron
Texas: Gray Gaulding(2)
Bristol: Landon Cassill
Richmond: Ty Dillon
Talladega: DJ Kennington
Dover: Chris Buescher
Kansas: Michael McDowell
Charlotte: Kasey Kahne
Pocono: Clint Bowyer
Michigan: Jimmie Johnson
Sonoma: Kasey Kahne(2)
Chicagoland: William Byron(2)
Daytona: Trevor Bayne(3)
Kentucky: William Byron(3)
New Hampshire: Chris Buescher(2)
Mid-Pack With Zach: Chris Buescher, JTG Daugherty Racing
By: Zach Catanzareti, Staff Writer
Each week, Kickin’ The Tires will highlight the 20th-place finisher from the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Standing as the middleman in weekends with 40-car fields, there is sure to be a story behind each one.
Sunday’s Foxwoods Casino Resort 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway was an interesting day for the sport: Uncertain weather, another test with the VHT and the one and only race for New Hampshire in 2018.
For JTG Daugherty Racing, it was a little good and a little bad with their two-car team. AJ Allmendinger was the bad, crashing out of the race only on lap 19 while Chris Buescher was the good, finishing in 20th position in his No. 37.
In fact, Allmendinger’s early accident nearly swept up Buescher as well, however, the third-year Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series driver was able to avoid and continue through the opening stage.
Starting 24th, Buescher saw little improvement during the race, showing only small improvements in the opening two stages.
It wasn’t until the final stage where Buescher slowly advanced into the top 20. A 39-lap green-flag run to the checkered went caution-free, which became a negative for Buescher when he lost a lap to the leaders. He, however, held the free-pas spot for the remainder of the race.
Grabbing a top 20, his first at New Hampshire in five starts, was also his ninth of this season through 20 races. Outside of his two top fives at Daytona this year, top 20s have been the name of the game for steady performances. It’s what we’ve come to expect from the JTG camp.
Sunday’s run didn’t blow the doors off people but it did help the No. 37 slightly in points, jumping Darrell Wallace Jr. for 23rd. With the exception of Allmendinger’s chance at Watkins Glen in two weeks, a playoff spot seems out of the question for JTG.
Buescher’s best two shots so far came at Daytona and we’re done with plate racing until the playoffs. So, where are the team’s goals for the year? Obviously, it’s to win their way in. But looking realistically, it’s to build off days like Sunday — decent top 20s — and turn them into top 10s.
Buescher returns to Pocono Raceway this weekend where he grabbed his first and only Cup win in 2016.
List of 20th-Place Finishers So Far in 2018
Daytona: Gray Gaulding
Atlanta: Alex Bowman
Las Vegas: Trevor Bayne
ISM: Trevor Bayne (2)
Auto Club: Darrell Wallace Jr.
Martinsville: William Byron
Texas: Gray Gaulding(2)
Bristol: Landon Cassill
Richmond: Ty Dillon
Talladega: DJ Kennington
Dover: Chris Buescher
Kansas: Michael McDowell
Charlotte: Kasey Kahne
Pocono: Clint Bowyer
Michigan: Jimmie Johnson
Sonoma: Kasey Kahne(2)
Chicagoland: William Byron(2)
Daytona: Trevor Bayne(3)
Kentucky: William Byron(3)
New Hampshire: Chris Buescher(2)