Buescher Focuses on Wins Despite Points Change: ‘It’s a Basic Concept’

Chris Buescher is not letting NASCAR’s points system distract him from his main goal of winning races in the Cup Series. Buescher, who drives for RFK Racing, made clear during the Nashville Superspeedway weekend that he prefers to focus on race wins rather than calculating stage or championship points.

He explained that if he didn’t see points updates online, he wouldn’t pay attention to them, saying that racing for wins is what motivates him every week.

Buescher received a boost ahead of the Nashville Cracker Barrel 400 when the National Motorsports Appeals Panel gave back 30 of the 60 points that had been docked from the No. 17 team after a penalty at Kansas Speedway. This decision pushed Buescher up by seven positions in the regular season standings, placing him in 16th.

He now sits just six points behind his RFK teammate Ryan Preece for the last provisional playoff spot, with half the regular season still left on the schedule.

Despite the points adjustment, Buescher believes that accumulating wins is the only sure way to advance to the playoffs. He explained that the points change put his team in a slightly better position but did not alter their approach to the season.

Buescher emphasized that with many races left, the team’s strategy is to target wins, as success on track brings everything needed to reach the postseason.

Team co-owner Brad Keselowski shared Buescher’s perspective, saying the playoff format rewards race victories and that climbing the points isn’t enough on its own. Keselowski appreciated the improved points situation but affirmed that the team’s mindset is to win races.

In response to recent penalties, RFK Racing has restructured some roles and responsibilities to closely follow the NASCAR rule book and avoid future oversights. Earlier in the year, Preece was disqualified from a second-place run at Talladega for a technical infraction, which also cost the team valuable points.

Through the first half of 2025, Buescher has six top-10 finishes, a strong total compared to other top drivers. He has matched two-time winner Denny Hamlin’s top-10 total and has more than both Tyler Reddick and Joey Logano.

Buescher’s only top-five result so far came at Phoenix in March, and his last victory was at Watkins Glen in September of the previous year. He mentioned that the team wanted to see better results in the opening ten races and feels they have achieved improvements, even if those gains do not always show up in the final points.

The team remains motivated and rates their year as a B-plus, knowing there is room to grow to become a weekly contender for wins. With Nashville in the rear-view mirror, Buescher is looking forward to returning to tracks like Michigan International Speedway, where he is a recent winner, and Mexico City, which presents another opportunity for strong performances.

The focus stays on collecting checkered flags to secure a playoff spot as the second half of the season unfolds.