Chris Buescher, driver for Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing, is focusing on the upcoming Brickyard 400 scheduled for July 27, 2025, at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. While he and 39 other drivers are currently preparing for Sunday’s street race in Chicago, Buescher’s attention is already turning toward the fast-paced challenge that the Brickyard 400 presents. The primary reason for this focus is Buescher’s optimism about his team’s performance on high-speed oval tracks, which he believes will give them an edge at Indianapolis.
Buescher expressed his enthusiasm, stating,
“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.”
—Chris Buescher, Driver
Performance and Challenges at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
After three years competing on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course, the Brickyard 400 returned in 2024 to the traditional 2.5-mile oval configuration. Buescher showed moments of competitiveness, at times reaching the top 10, but starting from 23rd position and the difficulty of overtaking on the oval limited him to a 22nd-place finish. Despite these setbacks, he remains confident in improvements for the next race.
“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,”
Buescher said about the upcoming Brickyard 400. —Chris Buescher, Driver
He added,
“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.”
—Chris Buescher, Driver
Over his six starts at the Brickyard on the oval, Buescher’s best finish remains ninth place in 2017. Interestingly, his performances on the road course were slightly better, with 10th, 11th, and 12th place finishes in the three recent road course events.
Understanding NASCAR’s Longstanding Tradition at Indianapolis
The Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway marks a prestigious event in NASCAR’s calendar, celebrating its 32nd consecutive year at the historic venue. Buescher recognizes the importance of this race, which has become NASCAR’s equivalent of the iconic Indianapolis 500, underscoring the event’s significance for drivers and teams alike.
“We’ve got to be ready for it,”
Buescher stated.
“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.”
—Chris Buescher, Driver
He also highlighted the limited practice time allocated during this premier event:
“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.”
—Chris Buescher, Driver
Buescher’s Quest for a First 2025 Win and Playoff Entry
As the NASCAR Cup Series approaches Indianapolis, Chris Buescher aims to secure his first win of the 2025 season, a crucial milestone to guarantee his place in the playoffs. His growing confidence in the team’s performance on fast speedways such as Michigan, Pocono, and Kansas fuels his hope that success is within reach at the Brickyard 400.
The combination of strategic preparation, speed on the oval track, and the historical weight of the event make the 2025 Brickyard 400 a defining moment for Buescher and Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing. The race will test their ability to capitalize on their speed and overcome the track’s well-known difficulty in passing, potentially reshaping the trajectory of Buescher’s season at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
