Buescher looking ahead as team handles penalty

Chris Buescher has stayed out of the details regarding the penalty his RFK Racing team was given this week, and he is focused forward as things sort themselves out.

“I didn’t expect anything, but I don’t know all those answers or how everything happens,” Buescher said on Friday at North Wilkesboro Speedway. “Ultimately, I’ve been, I guess, a little intentionally, out of the loop. Yesterday, I had a day planned with my dad and my daughter for several months to take off and enjoy some (away) time, so I haven’t gotten into the weeds of it. 

“Ultimately, it’s a surprise, but obviously, we have things to think about and a timeline to file an appeal. We’ll internally make those decisions and see where we go.”

The No. 17 team was penalized for going over the allowed bonded area to reinforce the front bumper cover. Buescher was docked 60 points and five playoff points. The team was also docked 60 points and five playoff points, as well as fined $75,000. 

Scott Graves, Buescher’s crew chief, is serving the first of a two-race suspension this weekend. Buescher is locked into the All-Star Race, which is a non-points event.

RFK Racing is still weighing its options on whether to appeal the penalty. Brad Keselowski, the team co-owner, said the organization will “exhaust the time period” they have until the Monday deadline to evaluate everything internally.

The penalty knocked Buescher from 12th in the championship standings and sitting above the playoff grid cutline by 30 points to the outside looking in. Buescher is now 27 points below a spot in the postseason. When the series returns to points racing next weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway, there will be 14 races left in the regular season.

“It’s always a must-win,” Buescher said if the team chooses not to appeal the penalty or if they were to lose an appeal and the penalty stands. “We’ve thought a few times that we could be really good in points and make our way in, and there are one or two cars that make their way in points (ahead of us). So, I think it’s been a must-win since Daytona. I think we always have that mindset here, and so really, it’s not going to change that.”

Buescher stated multiple times that the penalty changes nothing and it’s all about focusing forward.

“Right now, we’ll roll with it and go through the next couple of days internally and talk about what an appeal might look like for us, if that’s something we feel strongly about, and then we’ll assess after that,” Buescher said. “Right now, we have to figure out if it’s going to stick or not. So, for us, we’re looking ahead just like we always do. Nothing is going to change. Our race cars are still going to be fast here. They are still going to be fast at Charlotte. 

“We’ve made some great strides in the right direction for the last several years now, and it’s fun to go to the racetrack and have the speed we do. Ultimately, it’s not changing what we have right now. We’re going to race for a million dollars and then we’re going to turn around and go get one of the crown jewels.”