Chris Buescher Quietly Building One of NASCAR’s Most Consistent Seasons

When the checkered flag waved at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday, Chris Buescher once again delivered a result that has become his trademark: steady, efficient, and easy to overlook at first glance.

Driving for RFK Racing, Buescher secured a fifth-place finish—his second top-five of the 2026 season. While that number may not jump off the page, the momentum behind it certainly should. The result followed a runner-up finish at Talladega Superspeedway the week prior, marking back-to-back top-five performances.

Consistency, however, is where Buescher has truly separated himself. His Texas run extended a streak to eight straight finishes of 14th or better. Even more impressive, he has only finished outside the top 15 once through the opening 11 races of the season.

Leading the Winless Contenders

While six different drivers have already visited victory lane—each sitting inside the top seven in points—Buescher remains the highest-ranked driver without a win. He currently sits fifth in the standings, recently moving ahead of Kyle Larson in that category following the Wurth 400, holding a 27-point advantage.

If stage points are removed from the equation, Buescher’s performance still stands out. He ranks sixth overall in non-stage points, leading all winless drivers and maintaining a 15-point edge over teammate Brad Keselowski.

A Familiar Story of Consistency

For the driver of the No. 17 Ford, this level of performance is nothing new. Since his late-season surge in 2023, when he rattled off three consecutive oval wins, Buescher has only added one more victory—coming in 2024 at Watkins Glen International.

Despite that, his overall performance has remained among the best in the garage. He posted the seventh-best average finish in 2024 and improved to sixth-best in 2025. Yet, under NASCAR’s previous “win-and-you’re-in” playoff format, those efforts weren’t enough to secure a postseason berth in either season.

A Format That Fits His Strengths

The shift to a more points-based playoff system in 2026 appears tailor-made for a driver like Buescher. In fact, he was one of the drivers who would have comfortably made the postseason under the current format in previous years.

Buescher may not command headlines with aggressive moves or dramatic finishes, but his approach continues to produce results. He minimizes mistakes, preserves his equipment, and consistently extracts the maximum from his car.

Critics have questioned his ceiling in the past, but his late-2023 breakout proved he can capitalize when momentum swings his way. In 2026, he’s showing that consistency alone might be just as powerful.