Chris Buescher dominated Michigan International Speedway’s early stages, capturing Stage 1 after grabbing the lead on Lap 35 in his pink No. 17 Ford. The RFK Racing driver seemed destined for his first 2025 win.
But a split-second mistake during the closing laps unraveled his command. Buescher’s brutal self-assessment revealed how victory slipped through his fingers, which could’ve been his first one for this season.
Chris Buescher’s Late-Race Wiggle Opened the Door for Denny Hamlin
Buescher’s critical error occurred during a fierce battle with Zane Smith’s No. 38 Ford. His car snapped loose mid-corner as he attempted a bottom-lane pass on the closing laps. “I got by the No. 38 and just had a big wiggle running the bottom,” Buescher confessed post-race. That momentary loss of control forced him to lift off the throttle.
Chris Buescher laments the missed opportunity with arguably the fastest car in the field as he finished second to Denny Hamlin. @NASCARONFOX pic.twitter.com/pwxWVBqHbC
— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) June 8, 2025
The hesitation proved catastrophic as Denny Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota, Ty Gibbs’ No. 54 Toyota, and Smith immediately surged past. “That’s what let the Nos. 11, 54, and 38 back by,” Buescher acknowledged. Though he regained momentum and managed to surge ahead of Smith moments later, the damage was done. Hamlin built an insurmountable gap.
Buescher’s verdict was unequivocal: “That moment was my error and realistically cost us the win today, because we were better than the No. 11 car.”
From Buescher’s Stage Dominance at Michigan to Playoff Peril
Buescher’s agony contrasted sharply with his early brilliance. Starting sixth, he sliced through traffic to lead initially, but the Stage 2 strategy backfired when RFK Racing’s extended pit stop dropped him to 14th. Chaotic restarts compounded the trouble.
“Every start got jumbled up,” Buescher noted. “There was a couple [cars] in front of us that had big moments, and we had a big check-up. That was on me as well — just not making a better lane choice, keeping the thing in clean air and up front. So, lost a lot of track position there that we had to fight back from all day.”
His late charge still delivered RFK Racing’s best result of 2025 — a three-car top-10 with Ryan Preece (ninth) and Brad Keselowski (10th). But the runner-up finish offered cold comfort.
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“There’s a lot to be happy about and be proud of. But there’s a lot of frustration right now. There’s days where you finish second and you feel like that’s all you had and you’re just happy to be there,” Buescher reflected. “And this is a day we had a race-winning car, and I didn’t do a good enough job.”
He added, “I’m proud of the team for giving me that car and that opportunity. Man, I’d love to have it back, but ultimately that’s not an option. So, lot of speed, a fantastic race for us, big, solid day. Just feels like a missed opportunity.”
The result pushed Buescher to 12th in points, just 24 points above the playoff cutline. But with 11 races left and only 33 points covering positions 12-17, his Michigan heartbreak stresses NASCAR’s unforgiving margins between a win and what might have been.