Buescher, who started 26th, dominated along with RFK Racing team-mate and co-owner Brad Keselowski. They were the class of the field at Richmond as the two combined to lead 190 of the 400 laps.
Buescher emerged as the race leader following the final round of green flag pit stops but saw his big lead over Hamlin disappear when a spin by Daniel Suarez brought out a late caution and set up a restart with three laps remaining.
Hamlin initially stayed close to Buescher but briefly drifted up the track with two laps to go, which allowed Buescher to get away. He held on to claim his first victory of the 2023 season by 0.549 seconds.
A burnout celebration ... for the ages! pic.twitter.com/MxhYnZwFdt
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) July 30, 2023
“That was smooth sailing there trying to take care of (my car),” said Buescher. “These guys over at RFK, the No. 17 team, gave me a great hot rod. It was so good. Just trying to take care of it there.
“Scott (Graves, crew chief) came over the radio, ‘That’s working perfect, keep it up’ and caution. Yeah, that’s about right. I knew even on our green flag stuff we were so strong during the race; I had a good feeling about it there.
“Pretty awesome to pull it off. Proud of everybody. That was a long way from the back (of the field). Heck of a race for us.”
The win – the third of Buescher’s career and second while at RFK Racing – locks him into this year’s 16-driver playoff field with four races remaining in the regular season.
Kyle Busch ended up third, Joey Logano fourth and Ryan Preece rounded out the top five.
Completing the top-10 were Keselowski, Martin Truex Jr., Aric Almirola, Austin Dillon and Kevin Harvick.
Stage 1
Tyler Reddick dominated on his way to the Stage 1 win over 23XI Racing team-mate Bubba Wallace, leading all 70 laps. Hamlin was third, Chase Elliott fourth and Harvick rounded out the top five.
A.J. Allmendinger, who started from the rear of the field after missing qualifying Saturday to compete in the Road America Xfinity race, made his way up to 25th.
Stage 2
Keselowski, after gaining the lead on a round of green flag pit stops, cruised to a 3.815-second Stage 2 win over his teammate Buescher. Reddick was third, Wallace fourth and Hamlin fifth.
During the first round of green-flag pit stops, Almirola was penalized for a commitment line violation and Christopher Bell was flagged for speeding on pit road. Once the cycle of stops was completed, Wallace was now in the race lead.
Following a second round of green flag stops late in the stage, Keselowski cycled to the lead as Wallace had a slow stop and came out fourth.
Stage 3
During the break between Stages 2 and 3, all the lead-lap cars pit with Keselowski first off pit road. He led the way at the start of the final stage.
With 115 laps remaining in the race, Logano, Keselowski and Buescher were among the first drivers to kick off a round of green flag pit stops. Keselowski turned in late and got his No. 6 Ford awkwardly parked in his pit stall, which cost him a few seconds of time on exit.
Buescher retook control of the race on lap 305, although Truex remained on the track and was attempting a one-stop strategy in the final stage while most everyone else planned to stop twice.
With about 70 laps to go, Kyle Larson – who had recently pit for new tires – gave Hamlin a shove up the track as he passed him. Hamlin had nudged Larson up the track a week ago on his way to a win at Pocono.
— NASCAR (@NASCAR) July 30, 2023
The final round of stops for those on a two-stop strategy got under way with just over 60 laps to go. Reddick was assessed a drive-through penalty on pit road for a commitment line violation on his stop.
After the cycle of stops was completed, Buescher cycled back to the lead with 52 laps to go.
Suarez and Noah Gragson made contact in Turn 3 on lap 391 which sent Suarez’s No. 99 Chevrolet for a spin and brought out the first caution of the race for an on-track incident.
All the lead-lap cars pit with Buescher first off pit road. He led Hamlin and Busch on the restart with three laps to go.
