Chris Buescher Bio
Christopher William Buescher, born on October 29, 1992, in Prosper, Texas, is an American professional stock car racing driver. He competes full-time in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving the No. 17 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for RFK Racing. Standing 180 centimeters tall and weighing 73 kilograms, Buescher has built a reputation as a determined and consistent competitor across NASCAR’s national touring divisions. He is best known as the 2012 ARCA Racing Series champion, the 2015 NASCAR Xfinity Series champion, and the cousin of 2012 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion James Buescher.
Early Life and Background
Christopher William Buescher was born to Jim Buescher and Donna Buescher in Prosper, Texas, where he spent his formative years developing a love for speed. Growing up in the Lone Star State, Buescher was introduced to motorsports at a young age and began competing in local racing events as a child. His early exposure to the sport helped him build a strong foundation in vehicle control, race craft, and competitive driving.
Buescher began his professional racing career in 2005 at the age of 12, driving Legends cars in Texas for Speedway Legends, a well-known developmental racing program. During his time with Speedway Legends, he won over one hundred races and worked alongside other top young talents, including NASCAR Cup Series veteran David Ragan. His success in Legends cars quickly established him as one of the most promising young drivers in the region and set the stage for his transition into national-level stock car competition.
Path to NASCAR
In 2008, Buescher moved to North Carolina to be mentored by NASCAR Cup Series driver David Ragan and was signed as a development driver for Roush Fenway Racing. The relocation marked a turning point in his career, giving him access to top-tier equipment, experienced crew chiefs, and a structured development pipeline. Buescher began competing in ARCA Racing Series events in 2009, balancing his limited ARCA schedule with a part-time return to the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2011 and 2013.
Buescher’s path through the NASCAR ladder system was methodical and steady. After a successful 2011 ARCA campaign that earned him Rookie of the Year honors, he captured the ARCA Racing Series championship in 2012, becoming the only driver in series history to complete every lap of an entire season. His performance in ARCA and limited Nationwide Series starts convinced Roush Fenway Racing to promote him to a full-time Nationwide Series ride in 2014, setting the stage for his breakthrough season the following year.
Chris Buescher Career
Early Career (2005–2012)
Chris Buescher’s early career was rooted in grassroots short-track racing, where he honed his skills in Legends cars for Speedway Legends in Texas. From 2005 onward, he won over one hundred feature events, earning recognition as one of the top Legends car drivers in the southeastern United States. His success in the entry-level division drew the attention of NASCAR team owner Jack Roush, leading to his signing with Roush Fenway Racing’s development program in 2008.
Buescher transitioned to stock car racing in 2009 with a part-time ARCA Racing Series schedule. He steadily improved over the next three seasons, capturing the 2011 ARCA Rookie of the Year award and then dominating the 2012 ARCA Racing Series championship. That championship season was historic, as Buescher completed every single lap of competition, a feat unmatched in series history. The accomplishment validated his development path and positioned him for a full-time opportunity in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.
NASCAR Xfinity Series Breakthrough (2011–2015)
Buescher made his NASCAR national series debut in 2011, driving two Nationwide Series races for Roush Fenway Racing. He returned for a partial 2013 schedule and was promoted to a full-time ride in 2014, piloting the No. 60 Ford. During his rookie Nationwide Series season, Buescher recorded multiple top-ten finishes, including a runner-up result at Talladega, and scored his first career victory at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital 200 at Mid-Ohio on August 16, 2014. The win signaled his arrival as a legitimate contender in the series.
The 2015 NASCAR Xfinity Series season marked the true breakthrough for Chris Buescher. Competing in the newly rebranded Xfinity Series, he opened the year with a runner-up finish at Daytona and quickly established himself as a championship favorite. He captured wins at Iowa Speedway and Dover International Speedway, demonstrating both short-track and intermediate-track prowess. Entering the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, Buescher held off challenges from Chase Elliott, Ty Dillon, and Regan Smith to clinch his first NASCAR Xfinity Series championship on November 21, 2015, capping one of the most consistent seasons in series history.
NASCAR Cup Series Debut and Front Row Motorsports Era (2015–2016)
Buescher made his NASCAR Cup Series debut in 2015 at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, driving the No. 34 Ford for Front Row Motorsports as a substitute for David Ragan. He ran five additional Cup races that season, gaining valuable experience against the sport’s top competitors. On December 10, 2015, Front Row Motorsports announced that Buescher would drive the No. 34 Ford full-time in 2016 as part of an alliance with Roush Fenway Racing.
His 2016 rookie Cup Series season was dramatic and ultimately triumphant. Buescher survived multiple superspeedway crashes, including a violent barrel roll at Talladega, before scoring his first Cup Series victory at Pocono Raceway. Buescher inherited the lead late in the Pennsylvania 400 after a fog delay and approaching severe weather forced NASCAR to call the race, giving him the win and making him the first Cup Series rookie to win at Pocono since Denny Hamlin in 2006. Despite a tumultuous Chase for the Championship run, Buescher locked in a playoff spot at Richmond and finished his rookie campaign with one of the most memorable underdog stories in modern NASCAR history.
JTG Daugherty Racing Era (2017–2019)
On November 29, 2016, Roush Fenway Racing announced the sale of its No. 16 charter to JTG Daugherty Racing, with Buescher taking over the new ride, officially numbered No. 37. The move marked a fresh start for the Texas native, though the 2017 season was a struggle, with the team frequently fighting for mid-pack finishes. Buescher recorded his first top-ten of the season at the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona, where both JTG Daugherty cars finished inside the top ten, a milestone for the organization.
Buescher’s tenure with JTG Daugherty Racing produced steady incremental progress. In 2018, he scored a top-five at the Daytona 500 and a top-five at the summer Daytona night race, finishing 24th in the final standings. The 2019 season brought the first consecutive top-ten finishes of his Cup career, highlighted by a tenth at Kansas Speedway and a sixth at the Coca-Cola 600. On September 25, 2019, Roush Fenway Racing announced that Buescher would return to the organization to drive the No. 17 Ford in 2020, replacing Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
RFK Racing Era (2020–Present)
Chris Buescher began his RFK Racing tenure with a strong third-place finish at the 2020 Daytona 500. Despite early struggles following the COVID-19 pandemic hiatus, he rebounded to record a career-high eight top-ten finishes, doubling his previous season best, and finished 21st in the championship standings. The 2021 season brought continued consistency, though a disqualification at the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona due to a post-race inspection violation cost him a runner-up result.
The 2022 season marked a turning point. Buescher scored his first career Cup Series pole at Dover, missed the Gateway race due to a positive COVID-19 test, and returned to finish second at Sonoma. Later that year, he led a race-high 169 laps and won the Bristol night race, snapping a 222-race personal winless streak and a five-year drought for the team. The momentum carried into 2023, when Buescher won at Richmond, Michigan, and the Daytona night race, becoming the first RFK Racing driver to win back-to-back races since Carl Edwards in 2010. He advanced to the Round of 8 in the playoffs and finished a career-best seventh in points with three wins, nine top-fives, and seventeen top-tens.
In 2024, Buescher finished second to Kyle Larson at Kansas by 0.001 seconds, the closest finish in NASCAR Cup Series history. He won the Watkins Glen road course race later that season after Shane van Gisbergen brushed the wall on the final lap. The 2025 season opened with a tenth at the Daytona 500, and Buescher continues to drive the No. 17 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for RFK Racing with crew chief Scott Graves calling the shots.
Driving Style and Strengths
Chris Buescher is widely regarded as a smooth, technically precise driver who excels at intermediate tracks and road courses. His analytical approach to race craft, combined with his ability to manage tire wear and fuel strategy, has made him a consistent threat in long-run situations. The partnership with crew chief Scott Graves, who joined the No. 17 team in 2019, has produced increasingly competitive race setups and proven especially effective on tracks where race strategy plays a decisive role.
Notable Races and Milestones
Among Chris Buescher’s most memorable career moments are his 2016 Pocono win, his historic Kansas runner-up finish in 2024, and his three-win 2023 playoff campaign. His 2015 Xfinity Series championship at Homestead-Miami Speedway and his perfect-lap 2012 ARCA title remain defining achievements. Buescher’s 2023 back-to-back wins at Richmond and Michigan also stand out as a milestone for RFK Racing’s resurgence as a championship-caliber organization.
Chris Buescher Career Wins
Chris Buescher has accumulated victories across NASCAR’s top three national series, highlighted by his 2015 Xfinity Series championship and a resurgent Cup Series win total beginning in 2022. His combined success in the ARCA, Xfinity, and Cup Series reflects a career built on patience, consistency, and the ability to capitalize on late-race opportunities.
NASCAR Cup Series Highlights
Buescher’s NASCAR Cup Series victory total is anchored by his dramatic rain-shortened win at Pocono in 2016 and a three-win breakout campaign in 2023 at Richmond, Michigan, and the Daytona night race. He added a fourth Cup win at Watkins Glen in 2024 after leader Shane van Gisbergen hit the wall on the final lap. These results have established him as a weekly threat in the modern Cup Series.
Other Wins and Performances
Before his Cup success, Buescher captured the 2012 ARCA Racing Series championship in historic fashion, completing every lap of the season. In the NASCAR Xfinity Series, he earned two wins in 2014 and 2015, including victories at Mid-Ohio, Iowa, and Dover, en route to the 2015 series title. On August 4, 2025, Buescher was also announced for a NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series entry at Watkins Glen driving the No. 66 Ford for ThorSport Racing.
Chris Buescher Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Chris Buescher is the son of Jim Buescher and Donna Buescher. He is the cousin of James Buescher, the 2012 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion, making the Buescher family one of the most accomplished racing families in modern American motorsports. The family connection helped introduce Chris to the sport and provided a built-in support system throughout his climb through the NASCAR ranks.
Personal Life
Chris Buescher married his wife, Emma, in 2018 during the Easter off weekend in the NASCAR schedule. The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter named Charley, in December 2022. Buescher and his family reside on a micro-farm near New London, North Carolina, where they care for many pets and outdoor toys. The family also volunteers with the local humane society in Albemarle.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 NASCAR Cup Series season has been a turbulent campaign for Chris Buescher and the No. 17 RFK Racing team. Buescher opened the year with a tenth-place finish at the Daytona 500, a solid start that hinted at continued competitiveness following his career-best 2023 campaign. However, the team faced a significant setback following the Kansas race, when NASCAR issued an L1 penalty to the No. 17 entry for a reinforcement behind the front bumper foam that exceeded two inches in depth.
The initial penalty docked the team sixty owner and driver points, five playoff points, a US$75,000 fine, and a two-race suspension for crew chief Scott Graves. After the National Motorsports Appeals Panel reviewed the case, three panel members ruled that the team had violated some, but not all, of the original infractions. The amended penalty reduced the points deduction to thirty championship driver and owner points, retained the five playoff-point loss, kept the two-race crew chief suspension, and held the US$75,000 fine.
Despite the early-season adversity, Buescher remains focused on rebuilding momentum and positioning the No. 17 team for a late-season playoff push. His partnership with Scott Graves continues to be the cornerstone of the RFK Racing operation, and the team’s recent track record of strong intermediate and road course performances provides a foundation for optimism. With playoff experience and proven race-winning capability, Buescher enters the heart of the 2025 schedule determined to deliver another milestone season.