Chris Buescher at 9 pm ET on Monday, July 6, 2015 Photo – Doug Pensinger/Getty Images
Chris Buescher is our guest on Fan4Racing Fan2Fan NASCAR & Race Talk on Monday, July 6, 2015 at 9 pm ET. Due to Buescher’s schedule, this is a pre-recorded interview and we cannot take questions during the LIVE broadcast.
In his No. 60 Bit-O-Honey Ford Mustang under the lights at Daytona International Speedway, Roush Fenway driver, Chris Buescher finished 12th despite being involved in the ‘big one’ with ten laps remaining. With the top-15 finish in the Subway Firecracker 250, Buescher maintains his lead in the NASCAR XFINITY Series point standings.
“Not at all the night we were looking for from our Bit-O-Honey Mustang,” said Buescher. “The speed was there, it was just a matter of getting in the right spot and I didn’t do a good job of that today. We nearly went a lap down through some pit stops and that was pretty lucky that we got a caution when we did. We were able to get back going and avoided the wreck initially, but then got trunked from behind and at that point you are just along for the ride. The guys did a nice job fixing it and it was a good recovery considering where we were. To come home P12 isn’t bad. That is five superspeedway races with this car without having to do any work, and I guess the odds were against us today. It is good to salvage that finish and get out of here with the points lead still.”
The XFINITY Series took the green flag at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday evening after a brief delay due to rain showers. Buescher lined up 13th for the 100-Lap, 250-Mile race.
At the start of the race, Buescher dropped back into the mid-twenties, informing the team that he was not making the best lane choices on the track. After two early cautions, when the third yellow flag flew on the 14th lap, NASCAR opted to call it the competition caution six laps early.
Buescher visited pit road for fuel only on the 16th lap, lining up 13th for the restart on the 19th lap. During the next long green-flag run, Buescher settled into the top-15. As green flag pit stops started to cycle through, Buescher came down pit road on lap 56. While making his way down pit road, Buescher radioed to the team that he felt he slid his tires getting on to pit road.
That forced crew chief Scott Graves to make a quick decision to change four tires during the stop, while most of the field opted for two tires. The longer pit stop left Buescher returning to the track without a drafting partner.
The No. 60 Mustang linked up with a couple other cars, trying to form a drafting pack. The caution flag flew as the leaders were approaching Buescher and the small drafting pack. Buescher visited pit road on the 82nd lap for fuel and a chassis adjustment.
Buescher became collected in the ‘big one’ shortly after the restart, which brought the No. 60 down pit road for extensive repairs. Quick damage repair and another accident with a few laps remaining allowed Buescher to gain track position.
Able to salvage a decent finish, Buescher crossed the line in 12th-place in his Bit-O-Honey Ford Mustang. With the result, he maintains his points lead over Chase Elliott.
Now looking forward to his next race at Kentucky Speedway on Friday, July 10th, Buescher chats about his expectations going into his next event and for the rest of the season on our radio show, July 6th at 9 pm ET.
Watch the XFINITY Series race at Kentucky Speedway on the NBC Sports Network broadcast at 7:30 pm ET on Friday night.