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
Driver Profile 
Career Highlights
- 6 career Cup wins
Prime years: 2023-2025 (avg score: 47/100)
12 Cup Series seasons analyzed
Performance Profile
2026 Season
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 |
| Iowa Speedway | 7 | 13.4 |
| Michigan International Speedway | 19 | 14.8 |
| Bristol Motor Speedway | 26 | 15.2 |
| Watkins Glen International | 14 | 15.3 |
Recent Results
Chris Buescher's most recent 20 race results across the Cup Series.
| Date | Race | Start | Finish | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 15 | Cook Out 400 | 19 | 21 | -2 |
| Aug 9 | Iowa Corn 350 Powered by Ethanol | 27 | 13 | +14 |
| Jul 26 | Brickyard 400 | 15 | 11 | +4 |
| Jul 19 | Window World 450 | 9 | 20 | -11 |
| Jul 12 | Quaker State 400 | 13 | 11 | +2 |
| Jul 5 | NASCAR Cup Series Race at Chicagoland | 3 | 19 | -16 |
| Jun 28 | Toyota / Save Mart 350 | 15 | 19 | -4 |
| Jun 21 | Anduril 250 | 16 | 6 | +10 |
| Jun 14 | Great American Getaway 400 presented by VISITPA | 6 | 7 | -1 |
| Jun 7 | FireKeepers Casino 400 | 14 | 9 | +5 |
| May 31 | Cracker Barrel 400 | 22 | 29 | -7 |
| May 24 | Coca-Cola 600 | 7 | 30 | -23 |
| 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 |
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 | 25 | 0 | 12.92 | 14.16 |
| 2025 | 36 | 0 | 12.47 | 13.78 |
| 2024 | 36 | 1 | 18.53 | 14.31 |
| 2023 | 36 | 3 | 14.75 | 12.14 |
| 2022 | 35 | 1 | 15.80 | 17.86 |
| 2021 | 36 | 0 | 18.06 | 17.31 |
| 2020 | 36 | 0 | 18.33 | 19.56 |
| 2019 | 36 | 0 | 21.61 | 17.83 |
| 2018 | 36 | 0 | 21.61 | 21.00 |
| 2017 | 35 | 0 | 25.23 | 20.94 |
| 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 | 71.60 | 15.80 | 17.90 | 17.90 | -323 | 186 | 2.10% |
| 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
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 |
