CONCORD, N.C. (Nov. 18, 2015) – On the strength of two wins, 11 top-five and 20 top-10 finishes throughout the course of the 2015 NASCAR XFINITY Series season, Roush Fenway Racing’s Chris Buescher enters the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway ranking first in the driver championship standings.
“I’m so proud of how far this team has come since last season,” said Buescher. “This group has never given up. We’ve continued to learn and grow, with the goal of improving each week. This season is a testament to Roush Fenway’s hard work, and I couldn’t be more proud.”
Buescher took over the points lead with a win in Iowa, and has not looked back, leading the standings for 23 consecutive weeks. The sophomore in the NASCAR XFINITY Series enters the final race of the 2015 season with an 18 point lead over defending Series Champion Chase Elliott. Buescher can clinch the 2015 NASCAR XFINITY Series driver championship with a finish of 13th or better; or 14th with at least one lap led; or 15th and the most laps led.
The No. 60 Ford Mustang will carry the Fastenal colors for the final NASCAR XFINITY race of the 2015 season. The Winona, Minn. based company has partnered with Buescher numerous times over the past two seasons, never finishing outside of the top-15. Fastenal, a longstanding partner of Roush Fenway, has teamed with several drivers at the organization over the years, including Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. and Bubba Wallace this season. Fastenal will continue to serve as an anchor partner for Stenhouse in 2016.
“We are extremely proud of what Chris and the entire team have accomplished so far this season,” said John Soderberg, Executive Vice President – Sales Operations and Support. “We are excited to be a part of this and expand our relationship with the team. We wish Chris and the 60 team luck this weekend in Homestead as they race to win a championship.”
In a season where Buescher has not ranked lower than third in the driver championship standings, the Prosper, Texas native has zero DNFs (Did Not Finish) this season, and holds an average starting spot of 9.8 and an average finishing position of 8.3. Buescher has not finished outside of the top-20 in any of the 32 races this year. He has completed 99.9 percent of the laps this season, leading a total of 263 laps.
“I’m excited to get to Homestead. We’ve had a great season, but it all comes down to this last race,” said Buescher. “Homestead was a great race for us last season, and I think we can build on that this weekend.”
In his first NASCAR XFINITY Series start at Homestead-Miami Speedway last season, Buescher started 10th and finished fifth.
Buescher is no stranger to competing for a championship. In 2012, in just his second fulltime season in the ARCA Racing Series with the Roulo Brothers, Buescher won an impressive four races to earn the championship. In that championship season, Buescher earned 12 top-five and 16 top-10 finishes. He did not finish lower than 18th in any race, and completed every single lap of the 2012 ARCA Racing Series season.
If Buescher can capture the NASCAR XFINITY Series championship, it will be the fifth in the series for Roush Fenway. Stenhouse is the organization’s most recent champion, capturing back-to-back championships in 2011 and 2012. Former Roush Fenway driver Carl Edwards won the championship in 2007, while Greg Biffle hoisted the championship trophy in 2002.
The Ford EcoBoost 300 will take the green flag on Saturday, Nov. 21 at 2:45 pm ET. It will also be televised live on NBC and can be heard on MRN and NASCAR Sirius/XM Radio Channel 90.
Roush Fenway Racing is the winningest team in NASCAR history, fielding multiple teams in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series competition with drivers Greg Biffle, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Trevor Bayne, Elliott Sadler, Ryan Reed, Chris Buescher and Bubba Wallace. Now in its 28th season, Roush Fenway is a leader in driver development, having launched the careers for many of the top drivers in the sport. Off-track, Roush Fenway is a leader in NASCAR marketing solutions, pioneering motorsport’s first team-focused TV show and producing multiple award-winning digital and experiential marketing campaigns. Roush Fenway is co-owned by Jack Roush, the winningest team owner in NASCAR history and Fenway Sports Group, parent company of Major League Baseball’s Boston Red Sox and English Premier League’s Liverpool F.C. Visit RoushFenway.com, circle on Google+, become a fan on Facebook and Instagram and follow on Twitter at @roushfenway.
