RFK's playoff drivers might be collected in Keselowski, Spire feud

Chris Buescher doesn’t spend a number of time on social media however his cellphone began blowing up on Thursday when Spire Motorsports co-owner Jeff Dickerson prompt that his No. 17 workforce might get collected within the rising pressure between Brad Keselowski and Carson Hocevar.

Keselowski crashed because of contact from Hocevar early within the Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway final Sunday. He was livid after the race and stated as a lot in a post-race interview.

“His day’s coming and it’s coming laborious. Be careful, Carson.”

He was measured when requested about it in a press convention on Saturday however Keselowski additionally indicated that it wasn’t over between him and the Spire Motorsports teen both.

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Dickerson indicated that the 2 RFK Racing drivers presently competing within the Chase for the Championship might get dragged into counter-action if their boss chooses to retaliate towards Hocevar.

“We don’t need to get in a crashing vehicles contest,” stated Dickerson when chatting with The Athletic’s Jeff Gluck on his Gluckcast present. “They’ve bought two vehicles within the Chase, too. What are we doing? What, he needs to dump Carson, so then Carson goes and will get [Chris Buescher]? All these unwritten guidelines on the market. Chase guys, non-Chase guys. It’s like Brad is aware of these guidelines; he wrote them. So, if a non-Chase man needs to do this, OK, then I suppose no matter occurs, occurs. It’s the identical to us.

“I can inform you, if Carson goes to get wrecked, there might be a commensurate response.”

Keselowski and Preece each took combative tones of their response.

“Carry it,” Keselowski stated. “I’ll battle again with anyone within the storage. I’m not afraid of that.”

Preece too.

“Watch out what you search for since you would possibly discover it,” Preece stated.

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In the meantime, Buescher was incredulous that that is even a speaking level. He referred to as out Dickerson a number of instances on Saturday for his ‘dumb’ response.

“Yeah, I imply, we simply ignore the stupidity and roll on,” Buescher stated. “That is one of many dumber issues I’ve heard. So clearly, we have now nothing to do with that. Because of this I try to keep off social media, however too many individuals round me do see it and it does get despatched to me.

“Subsequent factor you already know, I am working within the store late at night time attempting to goof off slightly bit and begin catching sound bites. “It is simply dumb. It is so dumb to say one thing like that. So yeah, allow them to do what they’re going to do.

“Clearly, it has been posted all around the media heart and all over the place across the storage, so everybody’s going to play into it. We do not need to be part of that story and I do not know why we’re.”

Buescher is eleventh within the championship standings and Preece is fifteenth following one race within the Chase for the Championship. Hocevar is twelfth.

Keselowski didn’t qualify for the 16-team, 10-race playoff format and arguably has the least to probably lose if retaliating. He’ll lose factors, however that does not matter and he might be fined, however he owns RFK Racing.

Hocevar, for his half, says the drama is sweet for NASCAR enterprise.

“I’ve to suppose so,” Hocevar stated. “I scroll on TikTok or no matter, and I am just about my entire ‘for you’ web page. It is simply me alone web page. There’s one which bought one million one thing views. That needs to be good for the game. You have a look at the feedback and you’ll inform it is not all regular NASCAR followers that have been getting it on their algorithm.

“We bought again 15 one thing years, have a look at Richmond tales, or SPEED documentaries with Kevin Harvick v. Ricky Rudd. Bristol with Dale vs. Labonte. A few of these tracks did not all the time have the most effective races however there have been some single file races and all individuals bear in mind are the fellows operating into one another.

“These are issues that get individuals speaking and are remembered for years.”

Watch: Keselowski candid on upping the depth with Hocevar: ‘Carry it, I will battle again’

Pictures from Gateway – Saturday

Ryan Preece, RFK Racing