BROOKLYN, Mich. (Aug. 9, 2020) – Chris Buescher and the No. 17 Fastenal Ford were set to start Sunday’s race at Michigan International Speedway from the pole position, but after sustaining heavy damage at the end of Saturday’s race the team was forced to start Sunday’s event in a backup car and at the back of the field. The 17 crew would battle all day, ultimately finishing 20th in the second half of a Michigan double-header.
By lap four the driver worked his way up to 17th, a position he held for at least half of the stage. With reports of a tight handling Ford Mustang, the driver slid back to 20th where he held steady until the last few laps of the stage. The team finished the stage 22nd.
Buescher and the team pitted during the stage break for four tires, fuel and a track bar adjustment. The team restarted 17th. The driver got shuffled back to 22nd, where he held track position for much of the caution free stage. The No. 17 machine was very tight handling in traffic and in dirty air. As a result, Buescher took the green-white checkered flag for stage two in 24th.
The Prosper, Texas native pitted at the stage break for four tires, fuel and some major air pressure adjustments. The driver restarted 26th and held position until a caution flag waved at lap 95. The team elected to stay out to earn track position and restarted 18th. Three laps later a caution flag waved, and the No. 17 team took the opportunity to head down pit road. After a pit stop for four tires and fuel, they hit the track to restart 24th. Buescher worked his way up to 19th by lap 121 where he maintained position when the caution flag waved at lap 136.
The team decided to stay out and maintain track position, and with only two cars pitting ahead of Buescher, the team restarted 17th on the top lane, before taking the checkered flag 20th.
Buescher and the No. 17 team return to action at the Daytona International Speedway road course on Sunday, August 16 at 3 p.m. EST on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM Channel 90.
