Chris Buescher was the lowest running Chaser for most of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400 at Chicagoland Speedway last week, but he should rebound at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. His last attempt on a short, flat track ended in a top-25 finish.
Chris Buescher fell back rapidly from his 13th-place starting position in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400, was the first playoff driver to lose a lap, and the only one to lose two. He lagged behind the Chase field at Chicagoland Speedway all afternoon and ultimately finished 28th.
Chris Buescher entered the Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway 30th in the points. He needed to stay there or improve in order to advance in the race, but with attrition and a top-25 finish, he ended the night 29th in the standings. Buescher was the last driver on the lead lap in 24th.
Chris Buescher posted a lap of 121.957 mph and failed to advance to the final round of qualification at Richmond International Raceway for the Federated Auto Parts 400. He will roll off the grid in heavy traffic in 31st.
Chris Buescher only needed to have a solid run at Bristol Motor Speedway to move ahead of David Ragan into 30th in the points. He overachieved by a wide margin to finish the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race fifth after starting 12th.
Chris Buescher has full support from Roush-Fenway Racing this week and he is making full use of it. He advanced to the final round of qualification for the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway when none of the Roushketeers could and will lineup 12th.
Chris Buescher is still outside the top 30 in points, but he has shown a lot of improvement in the last 11 races. In the first 11 events of the season, he had an average result of 30.3; his most recent 11 show a 25.5, which is an improvement of nearly five positions.
Regan Smith fell 13 laps off the pace at Watkins Glen International last week and provided a little breathing room for Chris Buescher. Smith sits 32nd in the points standings and was nine markers behind Buescher—who is trying to make up ground on David Ragan in 30th—before the Cheez-it 355. Smith is now 14 points out of 31st with an average finish this season of 28.5.
In order to take advantage of his Pocono Raceway win and become a part of the 2016 Chase, Chris Buescher has to be in the top 30 in points. He finished 30th in the Cheez-it 355 at the Glen and made up three points on 33rd-place David Ragan.
During practice for the Cheez-it 355 at the Glen, it was announced Chris Buescher would have full Roush-Fenway Racing support for the remainder of the season in an effort to get the No. 34 into the top 30 and the Chase. Buescher won last week at Pocono Raceway to fulfill one of the qualifications.
Texas native Chris Buescher did not have the fastest car for the Pennsylvania 400, but he had the right strategy. He was leading the field at Pocono Raceway and getting chased down by Brad Keselowski, but was leading when fog ended the race.
As time ran out on the first practice session, Jeff Gordon jumped from 24th to 22nd, moving the Greg Biffle to the bubble (24th). Biffle’s crew thought he was safe, but Chris Buescher was on track and logged a lap of 175.987 mph—jumping to 18th in the process, and bumping Biffle from round two. Biffle’s speed was 175.603 mph.
Chris Buescher was the top Rookie of the Year contender at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He finished 14th in the Crown Royal Combat Wounded Coalition 400 at the Brickyard after starting the day solidly in 22nd. This placed him one position ahead of Chase Elliott.
Chris Buescher advanced into the second round of qualification for the Crown Royal Combat Wounded Coalition 400 at the Brickyard and will roll off the grid Sunday in 22nd.