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Chris Buescher’s victory in the recent race at Watkins Glen impressed everyone who tuned in to watch the exciting competition. The 31-year-old driver took advantage of a mistake by his opponent, Shane van Gisbergen, to secure the win. However, what nobody knew until Buescher appeared on the Dale Jr. Download podcast was that he almost made a huge mistake himself.
With the pressure and emotions running high from such an intense race and the chance to win right in front of him, Buescher found himself in a tense situation. He admitted that after taking the lead, he nearly forgot to shift into third gear. Luckily, the RFK Racing driver managed to collect himself, realize that the race wasn’t over, and adopt the right mindset to clinch the victory.
“I was sitting there fist-pumping from inside the car and almost forgot to grab third gear,” Buescher said on the Dale Jr. Download podcast, as reported by On3.
“Had to get that mindset back real quick and make sure I finished the job. But I’m obviously, a little bit of a sour taste in our mouth for celebrating too early after a couple months ago, and there I was doing it again, so… yeah, it was a really big moment. That was so cool for our entire group.”
Buescher reflected on the crucial moments that helped him overtake van Gisbergen for the lead. He mentioned that one of their spotters, Tom, had told him that van Gisbergen was closing in as they approached Turn 6. However, Buescher felt confident since they had been strong coming out of that turn.
He explained that although he didn't get fully set up for Turn 7 like he wanted, he made sure to guard against van Gisbergen being right on his tail. Interestingly, he later watched the video and saw that van Gisbergen got a bit out of control as he exited Turn 6, which gave Buescher some extra space to breathe.
It turned out that the 31-year-old Buescher had a bit of luck on his side during this race, taking full advantage of the opportunity that came his way. Van Gisbergen, on the other hand, struggled to stay calm and focused when the pressure was on. In the world of NASCAR, competitors are always ready to pounce on any mistake you make, all in the goal of victory. This time was no different, as Buescher took the moment while van Gisbergen faltered under pressure.
Buescher admitted that his exit from Turn 7 wasn’t great, but he realized he needed to accelerate because he expected van Gisbergen to be right behind him. He pushed hard into the turn, perhaps too hard, and ended up overshooting it. Luckily, he found out later that van Gisbergen also missed the corner, sealing the opportunity for Buescher to take the lead.
There are many factors that played a crucial role in Chris Buescher’s success during the race, and some definitely worked in his favor. Of course, if you don’t have the right car that can compete with the best, it’s tough to expect a good result. Chris was lucky to have a car that performed well, especially during key moments of the race. Every driver loves having a car that can help them achieve great things.
Chris Buescher: We had such a fast racecar
Buescher also highlighted the strong team dynamic and harmony that contributed to his victory. This win marked his first in nearly a year, but there’s no doubt that Chris will have more opportunities to celebrate in the future. The NASCAR world is unpredictable, and it’s hard to expect to dominate all the time. However, Buescher is determined to create a fantastic story this season and in the years to come.
“We had such a fast racecar. Really just came alive after a couple laps. So that was truly enjoyable,” Chris Buescher said.
“I think the tire really brought on some cool opportunities for a lot of the field. But we specifically for us, a lot of those changes really worked well for our group."
Buescher shared his excitement about finally securing a win on a road course, stressing that his team had been performing well and coming close to victory multiple times before. He described the achievement as personally meaningful, highlighting how special it was for him to finally pull off the win. He also stated that the entire team was delighted about the victory, as it represented a massive success for him in terms of his overall wins.
It will be interesting to see what the 31-year-old can do in the coming period.
English (US)