Chris Buescher

Veteran RFK Racing driver who pilots the No. 17 Ford with five career Cup victories. Buescher has been a consistent competitor for over a decade in the Cup Series.

About Chris Buescher

Chris Buescher is the embodiment of quiet competence in the Cup Series garage. With six wins across 340 starts, the Prosper, Texas native has carved out a career built on consistency, preparation, and a driving style that extracts maximum performance without unnecessary risks. Buescher won his first Cup race in 2016 at Pocono in a rain-shortened event that some dismissed as a fluke, but the years since have silenced any doubts. His continued success at RFK Racing has demonstrated that the talent was always there, waiting for the right equipment and the right team to unlock it. His approach to racing is methodical and mature -- Buescher studies the track, communicates precisely with his crew, and races with a patience that allows him to capitalize when opportunities present themselves in the closing laps. The results have been a steady accumulation of top-10 finishes and victories that reflect a driver who maximizes every resource at his disposal. In a sport that celebrates bold moves and dramatic moments, Buescher's brand of disciplined excellence is easy to overlook. But the competitors who race alongside him every week know the truth: Chris Buescher is one of the toughest outs in the Cup Series field.

Written by Richard R. Glover, NASCAR Reference

2026 Season Arc
Top 5 Top 10 11-20 21+ Upcoming
Wins
0
Avg Finish
11.3
Points Pos.
5
Champ. Odds
7.8%

5th in points, Chase-eligible. 11.3 average finish. 7.8% championship odds.

6
Wins
1
Poles
30
Top 5
70
Top 10
340
Starts
17.5
Avg Finish
Car #17 Driver Profile
Chris Buescher headshot
Team
RFK Racing
Manufacturer
Ford
Birthday
10-29-1992
Hometown
Prosper, TX

Career Highlights

  • 6 career Cup wins
Career Arc View full arc →
Rookie (2015-2016) Rising (2017-2022) Prime (2023) Veteran (2024) Twilight (2025-2026)

Prime years: 2023-2025 (avg score: 48/100)

12 Cup Series seasons analyzed

Performance Profile

Avg Finish by Track Type
18
Superspeedway
16.5
Intermediate
17
Short Track
19
Road Course
Remaining 2026 Cup Races by Track Type
3
superspeedway
11
intermediate
9
short
1
road
1
street

2026 Season

13
Races
0
Wins
2
Top 5
6
Top 10
12.08
Avg Start
12.23
Avg Finish
8.40
Last 5 Avg

Best Tracks

Chris Buescher's best track is Dover International Speedway with 1 win and a 10.8 average finish in 6 races.

Track Races Avg Finish
Dover International Speedway 6 10.8
Bristol Motor Speedway 23 13.4
Iowa Speedway 6 13.5
Michigan International Speedway 17 14.1
Pocono Raceway 13 15.3

Recent Results

Chris Buescher's most recent 20 race results across the Cup Series.

Date Race Start Finish +/-
May 10 Go Bowling at The Glen 14 12 +2
May 3 Würth 400 presented by LIQUI MOLY 3 5 -2
Apr 26 Jack Link's 500 10 2 +8
Apr 19 AdventHealth 400 7 10 -3
Apr 12 Food City 500 7 13 -6
Mar 29 Cook Out 400 16 19 -3
Mar 22 Goodyear 400 6 9 -3
Mar 15 Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube 10 6 +4
Mar 8 Straight Talk Wireless 500 17 14 +3
Mar 1 DuraMax Grand Prix 14 24 -10
Feb 22 Autotrader 400 7 15 -8
Feb 15 Daytona 500 41 7 +34
Feb 12 America 250 Florida Duel 1 5 23 -18
Nov 2 NASCAR Cup Series Championship 9 11 -2
Oct 26 Xfinity 500 29 11 +18
Oct 19 YellaWood 500 14 13 +1
Oct 12 South Point 400 11 12 -1
Oct 5 Bank of America ROVAL 400 5 4 +1
Sep 28 Hollywood Casino 400 15 13 +2
Sep 21 Mobil 1 301 15 17 -2

Year-by-Year Results

Chris Buescher has competed in 12 Cup Series seasons, with a career average finish of 17.5.

Season Races Wins Avg Start Avg Finish
2026 13 0 12.08 12.23
2025 36 0 12.47 13.03
2024 32 1 18.13 12.63
2023 32 3 14.84 10.56
2022 25 1 14.96 13.76
2021 27 0 16.70 14.37
2020 22 0 17.82 14.36
2019 28 0 21.96 15.00
2018 24 0 15.13 18.75
2017 22 0 20.14 17.45
2016 36 1 26.25 26.08
2015 6 0 36.00 26.67

Season Performance Stats

NASCAR loop data -- avg running position, pass differential, driver rating, and more (2007-2022 Cup Series).

Year Rating Avg Start Avg Finish Avg Run Pos Pass Diff Fast Laps Laps Led %
2022 74.00 15.40 18.00 17.10 -261 179 2.70%
2021 71.20 18.10 16.30 17.90 -227 101 1.10%
2020 66.10 18.60 19.10 20.70 -145 84 0.40%
2019 67.40 21.60 17.90 18.40 +130 44 0.10%
2018 59.30 21.60 21.00 22.00 -38 39 0.00%
2017 57.70 25.30 21.40 23.70 -84 60 0.10%
2016 51.20 26.30 26.10 27.20 -112 61 0.10%
2015 45.00 36.00 26.70 31.40 -47 18 0.00%

NR-Rating Elo Ratings

1569
Overall Elo
376 races completed
1493
Superspeedway
1591
Intermediate
1530
Short Track
1556
Road Course
1484
Street Course
Performance Quality Score (PQS) History
Loading Performance Quality Score (PQS) History…
Career History
Loading Career History…

Related Drivers

Name Relation
Brad Keselowski Teammate
Ryan Preece Teammate
Corey LaJoie Teammate
Josh Berry Same Mfr
Ryan Blaney Same Mfr
Austin Cindric Same Mfr
Todd Gilliland Same Mfr
Noah Gragson Same Mfr
Joey Logano Same Mfr
Ty Majeski Same Mfr
Ben Rhodes Same Mfr
Chandler Smith Same Mfr

Penalties & Infractions

Season Race Fine Pts
2025 Kansas $75,000 -60
2024 Talladega $100,000
2023 Watkins Glen $50,000

Explore More

Frequently Asked Questions

How many wins does Chris Buescher have?
Chris Buescher has 6 Cup Series career wins.
What team does Chris Buescher drive for?
Chris Buescher drives for RFK Racing (Ford), car #17.
What number does Chris Buescher drive?
Chris Buescher drives the #17 for RFK Racing.
What series does Chris Buescher compete in?
Chris Buescher competes in the NASCAR Cup Series.
Where is Chris Buescher from?
Chris Buescher is from Prosper, TX.
How old is Chris Buescher?
Chris Buescher is 33 years old, born October 29, 1992.
Is Chris Buescher in the 2026 NASCAR season?
Yes, Chris Buescher is competing in the 2026 NASCAR season with RFK Racing.