FORT WORTH, Texas (Oct. 28, 2020) – In a 500-mile race that started and ended three days apart, Chris Buescher and the No. 17 Fastenal team worked to bounce back after an early incident Sunday afternoon at Texas Motor Speedway but were forced to settle for a 34th-place finish on Wednesday night.
Buescher rolled off the grid 20th, but on lap 4 he spun into the wall after getting loose in the wet traction compound NASCAR placed on the track prior to the event. The team immediately pitted to assess and fix the damage, using nine laps to get back on track and meet minimum speed. A caution flag for weather waved at lap 43, and the team took the time to pit for further repairs. Not long after the Fastenal team serviced the No. 17 Ford, the red flag was displayed for inclement weather.
When the stage finally resumed roughly 72 hours later, Buescher drove to the garage for further damage repair and got back on track 20 laps down under caution at lap 62. The team decided to pit one more time to make sure the car was ready and hit the track in 39th with the restart at lap 68. The team pitted once more in the stage with a caution at lap 77 to take four tires, fuel, an air pressure adjustment and tape off the grill. The caution enabled the team to gain two positions, allowing Buescher to finish stage one in 37th, 20 laps down.
The team visited pit road at the stage break for another air pressure adjustment, tires, fuel and to pull more tape off the No. 17 machine. Buescher restarted 37th and rode in the bottom lane, avoiding driving into the slick traction compound. When a caution flag waved at lap 134, the team took the wave around and gained a lap back. Restarting 37th, Buescher drove hard all the way up to a scheduled green flag stop for four tires and fuel at lap 179. He took the green-white checkered flag in 36th and 20 laps down.
The Prosper, Texas native restarted 36th, 21 laps down after making his way down pit road for an air pressure adjustment, fuel and tires. He made solid lap times, driving in the bottom lane until pitting under green at lap 282 for four tires and fuel. Buescher returned to track and tried to make up as much ground as he could. The team ultimately finished 34th, 24 laps down.
Buescher and the No. 17 team return to track at Martinsville Speedway on Sunday, November 1 at 2 p.m. EST on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM Channel 90.
