Chris Buescher gambled at Bristol and almost came up big. The key word in the previous sentence: ‘Almost.’
The 22-year-old Roush Fenway Racing driver took the lead at the .533-mile track after electing not to pit on Lap 192 of 300. Buescher paced the field for the next 106 laps, but a fuel pick-up issue on the penultimate go-around of the race ended any hopes of triumph. Buescher was relegated to 11th, while Ty Dillon finished third, cutting Buescher’s NASCAR XFINITY Series points lead to 19.
If Buescher didn’t go for the win, he wouldn’t have lost as many points to Dillon.
“We had the speed, but it wasn’t meant to be,” Buescher said. “I’m glad we took the chance. I wouldn’t change it if we could do it over again, but unfortunately it knocked us right out of a top-10 and out of a win.”
Buescher and Dillon will continue to battle for the points lead in Saturday’s Road America 180 Fired Up by Johnsonville at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin (3 p.m. on NBCSN) – the third and final XFINITY Series road course race of the season. The two drivers are the only competitors who finished in the top five of the previous two road course races.
A natural on road courses, Buescher won at Mid-Ohio last year in addition to his two top fives while turning left and right this year. He placed 18th in his lone start at Road America last season.
“Road America is a very difficult and unique road course,” Buescher said. “I love road racing and look forward to the challenge.”
Dillon finished 19th in his first-ever series start at Road America last year. He enters Saturday’s race riding a streak of four top-five finishes.
“Our team is looking at the big picture and sometimes we have to take a step back and realize that this is a long season; to take it little by little,” Dillon said. “This past weekend in Bristol was a perfect example – we struggled the first part of practice but (Crew Chief) Nick (Harrison), (Race Engineer) Danny (Efland) and the team just took a step back and reevaluated. We have a championship to win here and it won’t be easy.
“We have 11 races to go and we’re not going to let up.”
Source: NASCAR Wire Service
