Chris Buescher, 18, an RFR development driver in ARCA and currently 4th in points, will be subbing once again for Roush Fenway Racing’s Trevor Bayne driving the No. 16 Ford Mustang tonight in the Nationwide race, Royal Purple 200 at Darlington (7:00 p.m./ET on ESPN2). Buescher made his NASCAR debut in the Nationwide Series Bubba Burger 250 at Richmond International Raceway last Friday coming out with a solid run, earning a respectable 17th‐place finish.
Buescher has produced strong results in his brief ARCA career. In 17 races, he’s earned two wins, 12 top-10 and eight top-five finishes. Two of those top fives came at Daytona and Talladega earlier this year.
“Chris is a talented young driver,” said NASCAR’s Director of Competition, Research & Development, Brett Bodine. “His resume was last reviewed in July 2010, and up to that point, he already was approved to run at all NASCAR-sanctioned tracks one mile or less, except Dover.
Buescher is also the cousin of part-time NASCAR Nationwide Series and full-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver James Buescher.
As for Bayne, as reported in a previous blog, he has been released from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. after being admitted last week for testing and evaluation. He is expected to return to his NASCAR racing duties with both Roush Fenway Racing in the Nationwide Series and the Wood Brothers in the Sprint Cup Series this season.
No timeframe has been set for Bayne’s return at this point.
