Latest news with #Buescher
NBC Sports
06-07-2025
- Automotive
- NBC Sports
What to watch for in today's NASCAR Cup race on the streets of Chicago
NASCAR holds back-to-back weekends of racing on courses that turn right and left. Today it is the streets of Chicago. Next weekend it will be the road course in Sonoma, California. Much can change over the next two races — and particularly today's race with the possibility of rain in the forecast. Here's a look at what to watch for in today's Chicago Street Race: A game of chicken … Unlike road courses, the Chicago street course has walls and barriers. Make a mistake and the penalty could be significant damage to the car. Drivers have to be daring but measured in their moves. 'If you go in (to a corner) side-by-side, even if you're the guy trying to make a pass and you make a mistake going into a 90-degree corner, if you lock up the inside tire, you could easily stuff yourself and the guy you're trying to pass in the tire barrier,' said Todd Gilliland, who finished seventh in last year's Chicago Street Race. 'You just really, really have to balance it – risk versus reward. It's definitely a tougher place to pass. There are obviously a lot of really good braking zones, but it's almost like playing a game of chicken with yourself.' Dustin Long, Three-time Cup champion Joey Logano was asked this weekend what his favorite part of the track is. 'It's probably Victory Lane, I just haven't seen it yet,' he said laughing. 'Up to this moment, it's been the ride home. Hopefully, it's not like that this time. 'This track is very challenging in its own way. When you look at Turns 1 and 6, you have no run-off, so there aren't many street courses that I know of at least, where you have long straightaways with literally no run-off, so the risk is huge here. 'When you go to push it, you send it in there a little bit too far, and we've seen that where a car goes straight right into the tire barrier. You don't have the ability to make mistakes and just turn around and get back going again.' Watch the points race Bubba Wallace, who starts 37th, enters today's race holding the final playoff spot. He has a 23-point lead on Ryan Preece, who starts seventh. Erik Jones, who starts 34th, is 49 points behind Wallace. Eight races remain in the regular season. Those just above Wallace also have to be worried. Alex Bowman is 39 points above the cutline. Chris Buescher is 52 points above the cutline. Bowman entered this race a year ago holding the final playoff spot. He won the event to secure a playoff spot. With AJ Allmendinger (three Cup road course wins), Michael McDowell (one Cup road course win) and Daniel Suarez (one Cup road course win) all outside the cutline, a win by them would take a playoff spot and move the cutline up. McDowell starts second, Allmendinger 16th and Suarez 18th. Buescher says he's focused on wins because of the likelihood the cutline will move up before the regular season ends. 'It's a must-win,' said Buescher, who starts eighth. 'I don't think you can look at it and say it's not. I think we need to go to the racetrack and we need to take chances and be fast. All of that brings points with it and if that's what we have to fall back to, then I hope we fall back and say that it was enough and we were proud that we were fast enough to earn those points in these stretches. 'I know over the last five weeks I saw a stat where our team has put more points on the board (183) than anybody else in the garage, so that's not because we're points racing. That's because we are bringing fast Mustangs to the racetrack. 'We're executing at a high level across the board and we're working on just getting these small details, fine-tuning this last little bit to where we can be in contention to win or put a trophy up on the shelf and that ultimately is the lock in.' Will rain impact the race (again)? Rain has played a key role in the previous two editions of this race. The forecast for today's race does call for a chance of rain. A race that is partly in wet and dry conditions could prove challenging for teams. 'I feel like most things that you would do for the car in the rain, are really going to hurt the car in the dry so trying to manage that the best you can and understand what those things are and what the weather is really going to do' Alex Bowman said. 'There have been so many times that we're sure it's going to rain and it doesn't rain and sure it's not going to rain it does rain, so I wish I could be wrong about my job as much as the weatherman. 'But yeah, I mean, I think it's continued to look like more rain (Sunday), so certainly have to be cognizant of it and, kind of know where we need to be with the race car to capitalize on that.' Said Brad Keselowski about the possibility of rain for the race: 'I hope it doesn't rain, not just for the competitors but for the fans. I hate it for them when it rains. This is such a unique experience and I just want it to be a perfect day for everybody.' Watch the back of the pack Three of the top four drivers in the points will start at the back of the pack and the driver holding the final playoff spot also will be starting in the back with them. William Byron (points leader), Chase Elliott (second in points) and Denny Hamlin (fourth in points) all will start at the back of the field. Nate Ryan, Byron and Elliott did not make qualifying attempts after contact with the wall in separate incidents in practice. Hamlin suffered a blown engine in practice. Byron is scheduled to start 38th, Elliott 39th and Hamlin 40th in the 40-car field. Also, Alex Bowman (qualified 11th) and Kyle Larson (14th) will move to the rear of the field after repairs to both cars, meaning all four Hendrick Motorsports cars will start at the back of the field. Starting 37th will be Bubba Wallace, who holds the final playoff spot by 23 points on Ryan Preece. Wallace had contact on his qualifying run.
NBC Sports
23-06-2025
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Alex Bowman holds final NASCAR Cup playoff spot with 9 races left in regular season
LONG POND, Pa. — Alex Bowman holds the final playoff spot with nine races left in the Cup regular season after his 11th-place finish Sunday at Pocono Raceway. Bowman fell a spot to just above the cutline in the standings. He entered Pocono three points ahead of Chris Buescher, who held the final playoff spot. Buescher finished fourth Sunday and scored 48 points to Bowman's 27 to leapfrog Bowman. Buescher also passed Bubba Wallace in the playoff standings after Wallace finished 36th and scored one point after an accident. Bowman holds a 20-point lead on Ryan Preece for the final playoff spot heading into Saturday night's race at EchoPark Speedway, the track formerly known as Atlanta Motor Speedway. Wallace is 29 points ahead of Preece. Buescher is 38 points ahead of Preece. The playoff field will be set after the Aug. 23 race at Daytona International Speedway on NBC. Dustin Long, Chase Briscoe's victory Sunday at Pocono made him the 11th different winner this season. That leaves five playoff spots via points at this time. Here is a look at the playoff standings. Those in yellow have scored a win this season.
USA Today
23-06-2025
- Automotive
- USA Today
Chase Briscoe holds off Denny Hamlin at Pocono for first NASCAR Cup win of 2025
Chase Briscoe had enough gas to get to the end and hold off Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin on Sunday, June 22, to win the NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway. Driving in his first season for JGR, the 30-year-old Briscoe, who led 72 laps in The Great American Getaway 400, held the point most of the final stage but appeared to be short on fuel after leaving his pit box early on Lap 119. However, the Indiana native held a consistent half-second lead over Hamlin's No. 11, beating him by 0.682 seconds for his third career win in 161 starts and earning a postseason playoff berth. FULL RESULTS: Great American Getaway 400 at Pocono Raceway Good to the last drop. Following Hamlin in the seven-caution race were Ryan Blaney in third, Chris Buescher in fourth and Chase Elliott in fifth. Returning to his No. 11 Toyota after missing last week's race in Mexico City due to the birth of his third child, polesitter Hamlin had to wait out inclement weather and took the green flag at 4:30 p.m. ET for the 160-lap competition, the 17th race on the Cup series schedule. With a week's rest behind him, Hamlin was tough right away on the 2.5-mile tricky tri-oval. Fellow Row 1 starter Buescher kept within striking distance early in his No. 17 Ford, but Hamlin outdistanced Buescher easily to lead all 30 laps of Stage 1. With some drivers short-pitting a few laps before the end, Buescher held on to second for valuable stage points. Tyler Reddick finished third, followed by Briscoe and Erik Jones. On Lap 83, four-time Pocono winner Kyle Busch was squeezed in the tunnel turn and spun to spark the fifth caution just past the Turn 2 area. Last week's winner Shane van Gisbergen, Ty Dillon and Christopher Bell all spun but received almost no noticeable damage. However, winless Reddick took his No. 45 Toyota to the garage with brake problems, which also failed teammate Bubba Wallace earlier. Briscoe's No. 19 Toyota came alive in the second stage and won the 65-lap segment, his first stage victory since 2022. Josh Berry, Elliott, William Byron and Buescher secured top-five bonus points. With 36 laps to go, the seventh caution for van Gisbergen spinning off Turn 1 was a bad break for leader Brad Keselowski, who had earlier been penalized for entering a closed pit and had yet to pit in the late cycle of stops.
Newsweek
09-06-2025
- Automotive
- Newsweek
Chris Buescher Devastated After Falling Short With 'Fastest Car on Track'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Despite a second-place finish at the Michigan International Speedway, Chris Buescher seemed upset about the "missed opportunity" that cost him the NASCAR Cup Series race win. RFK Racing had a great race weekend at Michigan, considering all three cars it fielded finished within the top ten. Buescher finished behind race winner Denny Hamlin, while Ryan Preece and Brad Keselowski finished in ninth and tenth. Despite the remarkable team effort, Buescher took it on himself after the race, especially considering that he had one of the fastest cars. One factor that likely set him back was that his car took longer to refuel, which then followed undesired race restarts. Speaking to FOX Sports' Bob Pockrass, he said: Chris Buescher, driver of the #17 Kroger/OIKOS Ford, walks the grid during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway on May 31, 2025 in Lebanon, Tennessee. Chris Buescher, driver of the #17 Kroger/OIKOS Ford, walks the grid during practice for the NASCAR Cup Series Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway on May 31, 2025 in Lebanon, Tennessee."I got by the 38 and I just had a big big over. And that's what let the 11, 54, then the 38 by. That moment was my error, and realistically cost us to win today, because we were better than the 11 car. "Proud of the team for giving me that car, and that opportunity. I'd love to have it back, but that's not an option. A lot of speed, fantastic race for us. Big solid day but just feels like a missed opportunity." Chris Buescher laments the missed opportunity with arguably the fastest car in the field as he finished second to Denny Hamlin. @NASCARONFOX — Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) June 8, 2025 Speaking to NBC Sports, Buescher stated that the team needs some luck on their side to win. He said: "We certainly need a little bit of good luck or fortune on our side. This is a day where we kind of made our own. We were really fast and worked hard to be there and just didn't have any bad luck, so that put us with a shot to win. "After the last handful of weeks with having speed in the first stage and qualifying and not being able to get the race finish that was certainly big, but it's frustrating to be that close and to know that we had a car that was capable of winning. I just needed to do a better job." He added: "That was such a fast Mustang. I really appreciate everybody on this team working so hard to put us in this situation and to have a chance to win. I'm disappointed I didn't get it done. It's on me. I had a couple different decisions I would love to go back and make and ultimately should have had us ahead of the 11. We were faster on the day and I didn't do a good enough job."
Chicago Tribune
04-06-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Spotlight finds Naperville North goalkeeper Olivia Ochsner in supersectional. She's ‘incredible to watch.'
Naperville North junior goalkeeper Olivia Ochsner was brimming with nervous energy and uncommon confidence as the Huskies went to penalty kicks on Tuesday. Ochsner bounced up and down on the goal line as Wheaton Warrenville South's first shooter strode to the spot. Watching from 50 yards away, Naperville North senior defender Emily Buescher had a prediction. 'We said she was going to save at least two,' Buescher said. 'We said that standing there holding hands. We knew that was coming. 'It's a really cool feeling that you can take PKs and you're not that worried.' Ochsner delivered, saving three of five shots to lift the Huskies to a come-from-behind 2-1 victory in the Class 3A Streamwood Supersectional. After Ochsner's heroics, Naperville North (16-5-3) will play Lane Tech in the state semifinals at North Central College in Naperville at 5:30 p.m. Friday. 'Olivia is such a great kid,' Naperville North coach Steve Goletz said. 'She's a great leader, and to step up and stand on her head in the shootout was incredible. It was incredible to watch.' Ochsner could only stand and watch when Illinois recruit Ashlyn Adams scored on a penalty kick to give the Tigers (19-2-2) a 1-0 lead with 54 seconds left in the first half. The Huskies tied it at the 33:57 mark of the second half when senior midfielder Isa Polavieja scored off of Buescher's 55-yard free kick. By the time the shootout arrived, Ochsner was ready for the spotlight. 'With the first PK that they called at the end of the half, I think I was a little nervous,' Ochsner said. 'I wasn't ready on my feet, and so I knew going to the PK shootout I've got to tune out everything else around me. 'But I knew I also had to be super light on my feet and ready to go. That was probably the difference-maker, me being able to read a couple shots before they actually shot it.' The shootout began with Ochsner lunging far to her right to stop Brooke Ittersagen's shot. Naperville North missed its first shot, and Adams converted to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead. But Ochsner stopped the next two shooters. That turned the tide, as sophomore midfielder Kennedy Bertsch and Buescher converted to give North a 2-1 lead after four rounds. 'I get very excited after I make a PK save,' Ochsner said. 'I'm not supposed to save a PK, right? 'My energy got me through that and the mental pressure of it because I wasn't even thinking about it at that point.' Goletz pointed to that as one of Ochsner's strengths. 'I was a goalkeeper myself, and you gotta have such a great mindset, and Olivia has that mindset,' Goletz said. 'For her to have her moment here on the biggest stage, it's just an incredible thing. 'The kids love her. We love her as a coaching staff, just in how she approaches every single day and how good she is to her teammates. For her to come through and bail us out today in penalty kicks was pretty special.' In the fifth round, Grace Rodakowski converted to keep the Tigers alive. But Naperville North junior forward Michelle Ruan, who didn't play during regulation or overtime, then converted the clinching kick. Ruan said she was buoyed by Ochsner's performance. 'Every time she saved it, my heart jumped, I was just so excited,' Ruan said. 'Then to be able to put away that shot just meant a lot because I knew the entire team worked so hard to get us to this point. Ochsner, a three-year starter, has played a vital role in the Huskies' thrilling postseason run. 'She's everything for us,' Buescher said. 'She's just kind of like a nose-to-the-grindstone player. 'What you see on the field in the sense of her ability to handle some absurd shots is incredible. But then there's also what she does for us that you guys don't see, like keeping everyone going and keeping all of our heads up. She's irreplaceable.' And irrepressible in the aftermath of the Huskies' win. 'It's absolutely incredible,' Ochsner said. 'It's making me emotional thinking about it. 'I wanted to do it for my teammates, and to be able to step up in that moment and deal with all the pressure to save my teammates' season and make my coaches proud means absolutely everything to me.'
