24 Days to Daytona: RFK Racing #17

The start of the NASCAR Cup Series season draws ever closer. As of today, there are only 24 Days to Daytona. Today also marks the first non-playoff team to receive their 2025 preview on Pit Pass Network. Chris Buescher and the 17 team were unfortunate victims of the chaos post-Olympic break. Despite sitting 11th in points, the myriad of new winners kept them out of the playoffs. As the Days to Daytona dwindle down, will the RFK Racing #17 head into 2025 finding more success in getting to victory lane during the regular season?

The #17 Team

Days to Daytona: RFK Racing #17 - Team — Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images

Driver: Chris Buescher

Crew Chief: Scott Graves

Sponsors: Fastenal, Fifth Third Bank, BuildSubmarines.Com, Kroger, Travel Centers of America

2024 Statistics: 1 Win, 6 Top-5s, 15 Top-10s, 208 Laps Led, 14.3 Average Finish

2025 Season Preview

Days to Daytona: RFK Racing #17 - Buescher — Photo by Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Winning in the Regular Season

Although Chris Buescher picked up a win last year, it happened after the playoffs started and the 17 team was on the outside looking in. After a 2023 season where he won 3 times in the regular season, he failed to do so last year. However, Buescher lost 2 races in excruciating ways. At Kansas, Buescher found himself on the wrong end of history. Following that, Tyler Reddick walled the 17 at Darlington that not only lost Buescher the race, but his playoff spot (via points lost). The goal for the 17 team will be simple: secure a win early to prevent parity from keeping them out of the playoffs.

Underrated Driver

Despite racking up 5 wins during the NextGen era, Chris Buescher is not widely considered one of the top drivers in Cup. Not only has he won 5 times, each win has come at a different track type. Between the past 2 seasons, Buescher’s average finish of 13.2 ranks him fifth in the series. On road courses, there have been none better in racking up Top-10s. While there is still a next level to his performance Buescher can unlock, it is difficult to argue against Buescher’s recent resume. Maybe another 2023-esque season will see the Prosper, Texas native receive more attention and praise.

Improvement in Qualifying

Where Chris Buescher and the 17 team need to improve most is qualifying. Reviewing his 2024 averages tells the story about Buescher’s points struggle, especially in the stages. His average starting spot was 18.53, which ranked him 18th in Cup. Meanwhile, his average finish of 14.31 ranked him 7th. His poor qualifying efforts saw him lose out on stage points, which he only averaged 3 per race. While Buescher would have been a perfect driver for the Winston Cup format, the current points format rewards drivers who qualify well. If Buescher can consistently put his car inside the Top-10 in qualifying, then his stage point struggles might be mitigated.

Daytona 500 Outlook

Chris Buescher has been a solid superspeedway racer in his career. Obviously, he claimed the 2023 Coke Zero Sugar 400 trophy with drafting help from his teammate/owner Brad Keselowski. Even without Keselowski, Buescher manages to find his way to the front. Usually willing to lead a third line, the 17 car is a prominent fixture of the lead draft. What can cost him at times is getting left out of alliances or pitting sequences. If Buescher manages to stay connected to his Ford friends, he will usually have a chance to win at a superspeedway.

When it comes to the Daytona 500, Buescher’s week sparks during the duels. Qualifying on the superspeedways has not been a tremendous strength for RFK Racing. However, Buescher has won a duel (2022) and usually gets himself in a good starting spot for the Great American Race. With Ryan Preece joining the ranks, the RFK numbers game could be a big boost. If the three can find each other late in the race, the 500 winner might come down to whoever is lucky enough to be leading that trio.