Few drivers have endured a more frustrating season in the NASCAR Cup Series than Chris Buescher.
The 31-year-old was the runner-up twice in the regular season with three other top-five finishes entering Sunday’s race at Watkins Glen, including the closest finish in NASCAR history at Kansas Speedway back in May.
He was also staring down a 37-race winless streak entering the weekend, though it was another drought that brought him even more relief to end with his shocking win at The Glen.
Chris Buescher captures 1st road course win
There was a time when Buescher was considered by some as a “road course ringer” because of his prowess on non-ovals entering his NASCAR career.
That made it even more vexing that the longtime driver had never won a road race before Sunday’s thriller at Watkins Glen, when he overtook road course specialist Shane van Gisbergen on the final lap to win his first race of the season.
READ MORE: Watkins Glen runner-up ‘gutted’ after losing race on last-lap mistake
The win also marked RFK Racing’s first trip to Victory Lane at a road course since 2014, and Buescher’s starting position of 24th was the worst by any winner at Watkins Glen in 77 races across NASCAR’s top three series.
“We’ve been so good at these things, we’ve been so close,” Buescher told Dale Earnhardt Jr. earlier this week on his podcast. “To finally actually pull it off, that was special. That was a big check for my list.”
READ MORE: Why Watkins Glen finish was unlike any other in NASCAR playoffs history
What could have been for Buescher, RFK Racing
In some ways, it was a bittersweet moment for Buescher and the No. 17 team, which would have made the playoffs if Sunday’s result came a few weeks earlier.
Instead, Chase Briscoe won the regular-season finale and stole the final postseason berth from Buescher, who returned the favor Sunday in the worst finish for NASCAR playoff drivers of all time.
“We would have liked to have won a couple weeks ago, but this is such a big win for us,” Buescher said immediately after the race. “We’ve been so close so many times (to getting a road course win). To finally pull that off, it’s fantastic.”
It’s too late for Buescher to put together a title run this season, but he’ll look for his second career win at Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday after winning the night race there two years ago as a playoff spoiler.