Chris Buescher has publicly shared his heartfelt sorrow following the unexpected death of Zachary Yager, a seasoned pit crew member for Buescher’s RFK Racing No. 17 Ford team. The loss occurred in August 2025, deeply affecting the NASCAR community.
Zachary Yager, who contributed his skills to several prominent NASCAR teams including Richard Childress Racing, Team Penske, and JTG Daugherty Racing (now HYAK Motorsports), was a respected presence in the sport. He notably was part of the No. 47 pit crew when Ricky Stenhouse Jr. captured the 2023 Daytona 500. Originally from Lima, New York, Yager moved to North Carolina after college to pursue a career in motorsports, beginning his NASCAR tenure in 2014.
Highlights from Yager’s NASCAR Career and His Role in Race Wins
Yager played a key role in the success of the RFK Racing No. 17 team, contributing to a remarkable stretch where the crew won three races within five weeks in 2023. After the team reabsorbed pit crew members from JTG Daugherty Racing following Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s Daytona 500 win, Yager helped secure significant victories alongside Chris Buescher.
During the summer of 2023, Buescher demonstrated strong performances on the track, winning back-to-back NASCAR Cup races at Richmond’s short track and Michigan International Speedway. At Richmond, Buescher seized a late restart to pull ahead of Denny Hamlin, while in Michigan, he held off Martin Truex Jr. Two weeks after the Michigan win, the team triumphed again in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway. These victories contributed to Buescher’s seventh-place finish in the season’s championship standings.
Remembering Zachary Yager Through Tributes and Reflections
In a tribute shared on social media platform X, Chris Buescher honored Yager’s character and dedication:
“Heavy emotions realizing we lost a wonderful person last week. Yager was such a good dude, super respectful, and just kind to my family and our racing family through the years. It was a pleasure racing and winning together. You will be missed sir,” —Chris Buescher
Elijah Burke, a colleague of Yager’s, also expressed his sadness and recalled fond memories:
“Absolutely devastated. Zach was a great friend at work… talked a lot about growing up in Rochester. The running joke was he was a Chris Buescher doppelganger… always had fun with that. He was always smiling and was quite the accomplished guitar player. I’ll miss you, Yager.” —Elijah Burke
At the time of his passing, Yager was employed by Elite Race Services and served as the jackman for RSS Racing in the Xfinity Series and ThorSport Racing in the Craftsman Truck Series during the ongoing season.
Details Surrounding Zachary Yager’s Passing and Its Impact
Zachary Yager was reported missing and later found deceased on August 18, 2025. He was in his mid-30s, and the reason for his death remains unknown. His contributions to NASCAR pit crews over more than a decade left a lasting impression on teammates and the wider racing community.
The impact of Yager’s sudden death resonates strongly with those who worked closely with him, highlighting the close-knit bonds formed in the high-pressure environment of professional racing. With his combination of skill, respectfulness, and personal warmth, his absence will be deeply felt during upcoming NASCAR events and within RFK Racing.
