Chris Buescher, driver for Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing, is setting his sights on a significant victory at the 2025 Brickyard 400 held on July 27 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. While the immediate focus for Buescher and 39 other drivers is Sunday’s street race in Chicago, the NASCAR competitor is already looking ahead to the prestigious event at Indy, hoping to secure a breakthrough win.
Buescher expressed his enthusiasm about the Brickyard 400 to Speedway Media, highlighting the strengths of RFK’s race cars at high-speed tracks.
“I’m really optimistic knowing the speed of our race cars here at RFK at places like Michigan or Pocono or even Kansas. We’ve been really fast at these higher speed racetracks and, to me, that translates really well to Indy, and we were really good there last year,”
he said.
Challenges and Past Performances at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
After multiple races on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, the Brickyard 400 returned last year to the traditional 2.5-mile oval layout. Buescher earned some solid speed and briefly reached the top 10, but starting in 23rd position proved a significant obstacle given the difficulty of overtaking on the track. Ultimately, he finished 22nd.
Reflecting on last year’s race, Buescher admitted there were issues that limited his results but remained hopeful for the upcoming event.
“We had our own issues that held us back from a strong day, but we were really fast in that time, and I think we can be really, really good this go-around,”
he said.
He went on to emphasize the importance of the race, calling the Brickyard 400 one of NASCAR’s “crown jewels.”
“I’m really excited about that race simply because I think that it’s an opportunity for us to go win, just like any other race, but it’s also one of our crown jewels as well,”
Buescher added.
Over six starts at the Brickyard 400 on the oval, Buescher’s best finish was ninth in 2017. In contrast, his finishes on IMS’s road course have been quite competitive with placements of 12th, 10th, and 11th across three events.
Significance of NASCAR’s Longstanding Tradition at Indianapolis
As NASCAR prepares for its 32nd consecutive year racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the prestige of this event is not lost on Buescher. He recognizes the importance of being primed for a challenging and high-profile weekend at the track often regarded as NASCAR’s equivalent of the Indianapolis 500.
“We’ve got to be ready for it,”
Buescher remarked.
“We know it’s gonna be a big weekend. It’s a racetrack that’s gonna be track position sensitive, and I know we all hate having that conversation, but it is what it is, so we need to go there, we need to unload with speed.”
He also pointed out the limited practice time teams will have, emphasizing the value of strong qualifying runs.
“We have 45 or 50 minutes of practice being a premier event, so we’ll have time to work on it. If we can qualify strong and up front, then that will show we have the speed, and that will definitely translate over into the race,”
Buescher explained.
Looking Ahead to a Potential Playoff-Clinching Victory
With this season’s NASCAR Cup Series approaching the Brickyard 400, Buescher aims to earn his first win at Indy, which would secure his spot in the playoffs. His outlook remains hopeful as he prepares to face the challenges of the 2.5-mile oval and capitalize on RFK’s performance gains at similar high-speed circuits.
The Brickyard 400 continues to be a landmark event for NASCAR, and a victory for Buescher would mark a major milestone in his career with Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing, further solidifying his status among the sport’s competitive drivers. Fans and analysts alike will be watching closely to see if this could finally be the year Buescher breaks through at Indianapolis.