Chris Buescher's NASCAR Kansas race penalty reduced, now 16th in points
Chris Buescher's penalty from the May 15 NASCAR Kansas race has been amended, NASCAR announced May 28 in a statement.
During a hearing with the National Motorsports Appeals Panel, a three-person panel decided that Buescher "violated one or more, but not all, of the rule(s) set forth in the penalty notice."
Advertisement
Buecher's No. 17 Roush Fenway Keselowski Ford was in violation of NASCAR rule 14.5.4, which oversees the front bumper cover, but was not in violation of rule 14.1.2, which covers the exhaust cover panel.
Buescher's penalty goes from 60 points to 30 in the driver championship standings and team owner points. Buescher also loses five playoff points in both the team and owner standings, a two-race suspension for crew chief Scott Graves, which he has already served, and a $75,000 fine for the team.
After the amended penalty, Buescher moves from 23rd to 16th in the NASCAR Cup Series standings.
In the statement from NASCAR, the panel provided a further explanation on its finding.
Advertisement
AUDIO OF "THE LONG TALLADEGA CON": Listen to "The Long Talladega Con," story of L.W. Wright
"The panel concluded that NASCAR met its burden of proof regarding the reinforcement of the front bumper cover but did not meet it regarding the trimming of the exhaust panel cover," the explanation read. "The rule book regarding the exhaust panel trimming lacked specificity on the amount trimmed or not trimmed. Accordingly, the Panel reduced the owner and driver points penalty from 60 to 30 points."
RFK Racing shared a statement on X, formerly Twitter, following the amended penalty for Buescher.
"We appreciate the opportunity to present our case to the National Motorsports Appeals Panel today and are pleased that the panel overturned one of the two assessed penalties," the statement read. "Our goal is to always comply fully with the letter of the NASCAR Rulebook, and our focus is now looking forward to competing for a win in Nashville this weekend."
When is NASCAR Nashville race?
The NASCAR Nashville race is set for 6 p.m. CT on June 1 at Nashville Superspeedway.
Chris Buescher wins
Chris Buescher has six career wins in the NASCAR Cup Series. His last was in September 2024 at Watkins Glen and his first was at Pocono in 2016.
Chris Buescher stats
Chris Buescher has one top 5 finish and six top 10 finishes in 13 points races in 2025.
Why was Chris Buescher penalized?
Chris Buescher was penalized for violations regarding the front bumper cover (NASCAR rule 14.5.4) and exhaust panel cover (NASCAR 14.1.2) in the May 15 NASCAR Kansas race. He finished eighth in that race and the penalties were discovered after the car was taken to the NASCAR Research and Development Center.
Chris Buescher hometown
Chris Buescher is from Prosper, Texas.
Updated NASCAR Cup Series points standings after Chris Buescher's amended penalty
William Byron: 499 points (1 win, 11 playoff points)
Kyle Larson -29 points behind leader (3 wins, 23 playoff points)
Christopher Bell -74 (3 wins, 16 playoff points)
Chase Elliott -84
Tyler Reddick -104
Denny Hamlin -109 (2 wins, 12 playoff points)
Ryan Blaney -136 (2 playoff points)
Ross Chastain -149 (1 win, 5 playoff points)
Joey Logano -161 (1 win, 7 playoff points)
Alex Bowman -166
Chase Briscoe -185
Bubba Wallace -187 (2 playoff points)
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. -215
Ryan Preece -219 (1 playoff point)
Austin Cindric -220 (1 win, 7 playoff points)
Chris Buescher -225 (-5 playoff points)
Josh Berry -230 (1 win, 6 playoff points)
AJ Allmendinger -232
Kyle Busch -233
Michael McDowell -240
John Hunter Nemechek -242
Carson Hocevar -251
Todd Gilliland -253
Austin Dillon -255
Ty Gibbs -269
Advertisement
Follow sports writer Austin Chastain on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @ChastainAJ or reach him via email at achastain@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: NASCAR Nashville race: Chris Buescher Kansas penalty amended
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Boston Globe
an hour ago
- Boston Globe
Ryan Blaney wins at Nashville for first NASCAR Cup Series checkered flag of the year
'I never gave up hope that's for sure,' Blaney said. 'We've had great speed all year. It just hasn't really been the best year for us as far as good fortune. But [No.] 12 boys are awesome. They stick with it no matter how it goes.' Advertisement He became the ninth different winner this season and the fifth driver to win in as many races at Nashville. He also gave Team Penske a second straight Cup win at Nashville's 1.33-mile concrete track. Blaney, who started 15th, quickly drove his way to the front as he won the second stage. He easily held off Carson Hocevar by 2.83 seconds. Hocevar matched his career-best finish at Atlanta in February after complaining during the race that his No. 77 Chevrolet was undriveable. 'Either I'm really dramatic or they're really good on adjustments,' Hocevar said. 'Probably a little bit of both, but, yeah, proud of this group, proud of this car. A place that is really, really difficult to pass, we're able to go 26th to second.' Advertisement Ricky Stenhouse Jr. didn't finish his first race this year. He was the first out when Hocevar tapped his No. 47 Chevrolet, spinning Stenhouse into the wall between Turns 3 and 4 for the second caution of the race on lap 106. Denny Hamlin finished third in his 700th career Cup Series race, matching the third-place finish by Jeff Gordon at Darlington in 2013 for the best finish in a driver's 700th race. Joey Logano, who won here last year, was fourth and William Byron fifth. Hamlin was hoping for one more caution that never came after seven cautions for 35 laps. 'Just couldn't run with the 12 [Blaney] there in the super long run,' Hamlin said. 'After 40 laps, I could maintain with him. But then after that, he just pulled away and stretched it on us.' There was a sprint to the finish under green forcing teams and drivers to pick and choose went to pit. Blaney had led 107 laps when he went to the pits under green on lap 248. Hamlin took the lead before going to pit road on lap 256. Brad Keselowski had the lead when he went to the pits on lap 269, and Blaney took the lead for the final 31 laps. Hamlin raced Sunday night hoping to take advantage of his starting spot beside pole-sitter Chase Briscoe. Whether Hamlin would chase his third win this season had been in question with his third child, a boy, due the same day. Hamlin practiced and qualified well, so he drove his No. 11 Toyota even as Joe Gibbs Racing had Ryan Truex on standby in case Hamlin got the call that his fiancee was in labor. Hamlin won the first stage. Advertisement Tyler Reddick beat his boss Hamlin, a co-owner of his 23XI Racing team, to new parent status, which Reddick announced on social media earlier Sunday. His family welcomed their second son at 2:20 a.m. on May 25, then Reddick followed up hours later by finishing 26th in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte. NASCAR heads to Michigan International Speedway for the Cup Series on June 8.
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
NASCAR Nashville winners and losers from Ryan Blaney's Cracker Barrel 400 win
NASCAR Nashville winners and losers from Ryan Blaney's Cracker Barrel 400 win Ryan Blaney took control of the race with a pass for the lead on the restart with 116 laps to go, then drove to his first victory of the NASCAR Cup Series season in the Cracker Barrel 400 on June 1 at Nashville Superspeedway. Blaney won Stage 2 but dropped behind Joey Logano after pit stops at the stage break. Blaney then drove by Logano on a restart on Lap 199 and held the top spot for the majority of the final 100 laps. The final pit cycle completed under green, with Blaney holding a sizeable lead over second-place Carson Hocevar and third-place Denny Hamlin. Hocevar finished in second for the second time this season, tying his career-best finish in the Cup Series. Here are the winners and losers from Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series race at Nashville: NASHVILLE RACE RESULTS: Ryan Blaney is winner, plus full leaderboard for Cracker Barrel 400 NASCAR Nashville winners and losers: Hocevar is a future star in the sport, and always a part of the story. Sunday's race had the best and worst of Hocevar, all in 300 laps. In Stage 2, Hocevar drove hard into turn 3 and bumped Ricky Stenhouse Jr., sending the No. 47 Chevrolet spinning and into the wall. Stenhouse did not finish, credited with 39th, then told Amazon in an interview that retribution could be coming. But Hocevar finished the second stage in the top 10, then worked the strategy late to end up second after the final pit cycle completed with about 30 laps to go. Hocevar couldn't cut into Blaney's lead at the end, but was able to hold off Hamlin to finish second. It ties a runner-up finish at Atlanta earlier this season as his career-best in the Cup Series. Bubba Wallace needed a good finish badly, but probably did not think he would get one early in the race. Wallace was penalized for speeding on the first stop of the race, on Lap 44. He lost a lap, and wasn't able to get it back at the stage end. Wallace did get the free pass on Lap 104 as a group of cautions helped the bottom of the running order, then steadily climbed the leaderboard. The No. 23 Toyota entered the top 10 early in the final stage, and Wallace drove up into sixth on the final run. Wallace entered Nashville with three straight DNFs, dropping out of the top 10 in points. Sunday's result should help Wallace and his 23XI Racing team reset positively as the second half of the regular season begins this month. Alex Bowman's stretch of poor finishes continued on Sunday in Nashville after wrecking alongside Noah Gragson early in Stage 2. Bowman's 36th-place finish is his fifth finish of 29th or worse in the last seven races, and it puts into question his playoff status with 12 regular-season races left. To give context on Bowman's struggles: He finished second at Homestead and was third in points through six races. After Nashville, Bowman is in 12th in points. Stenhouse was on the receiving end of Hocevar's too-aggressive bumping on Lap 106. (That incident comes up a couple times, doesn't it?) The No. 47 Chevrolet was a model of consistency throughout the first 13 races, coming into Nashville at 13th in points despite just two top-10 finishes but no finishes outside the top 25. But Hocevar's contact sent Stenhouse into the wall, out of the race and down the standings and the playoff picture. The biggest stories, every morning. Stay up-to-date on all the key sports developments by subscribing to USA TODAY Sports' newsletter.
Fox Sports
2 hours ago
- Fox Sports
Ryan Blaney races to first NASCAR Cup Series victory of the year at Nashville
Associated Press LEBANON, Tenn. (AP) — Ryan Blaney gave fans a burnout to celebrate kicking off the second half of the NASCAR season by running away down the stretch for his first Cup Series victory of the year Sunday night at Nashville Superspeedway. 'I'm ready to go celebrate,' Blaney said. The 2023 Cup champ had been racing well with five top-five finishes over the first half of this season. He finally got to victory lane in the No. 12 Ford Mustang for Team Penske for his 14th career victory and first since Martinsville in November. 'I never gave up hope that's for sure," Blaney said. "We've had great speed all year. It just hasn't really been the best year for us as far as good fortune. But (No.) 12 boys are awesome. They stick with it no matter how it goes.' He became the ninth different winner this season and the fifth driver to win in as many races at Nashville. He also gave Team Penske a second straight Cup win at Nashville's 1.33-mile concrete track. Blaney, who started 15th, quickly drove his way to the front as he won the second stage. He easily held off Carson Hocevar by 2.83 seconds. Hocevar matched his career-best finish at Atlanta in February after complaining during the race that his No. 77 Chevrolet was undriveable. 'Either I'm really dramatic or they're really good on adjustments," Hocevar said. "Probably a little bit of both, but, yeah, proud of this group proud of this car. A place that is really, really difficult to pass, we're able to go 26th to second.' Denny Hamlin finished third in his 700th career Cup Series race, matching the third-place finish by Jeff Gordon at Darlington in 2013 for the best finish in a driver's 700th race. Joey Logano, who won here last year, was fourth and William Byron fifth. Hamlin was hoping for one more caution that never came after seven cautions for 35 laps. 'Just couldn't run with the 12 (Blaney) there in the super long run," Hamlin said. "After 40 laps, I could maintain with him. But then after that, he just pulled away and stretched it on us.' There was a sprint to the finish under green forcing teams and drivers to pick and choose went to pit. Blaney had led 107 laps when he went to the pits under green flag on lap 248. Hamlin took the lead before going to pit road on lap 256. Brad Keselowski had the lead when he went to the pits on lap 269, and Blaney took the lead for the final 31 laps. Waiting on a call Hamlin raced Sunday night hoping to take advantage of his starting spot spot beside pole-sitter Chase Briscoe. Whether Hamlin would chase his third win this season had been in question with his third child, a boy, due the same day. Hamlin practiced and qualified well, so he drove his No. 11 Toyota even as Joe Gibbs Racing had Ryan Truex on standby in case Hamlin got the call that his fiancee was in labor. Hamlin won the first stage. Tyler Reddick beat his boss Hamlin, a co-owner of his 23XI Racing team, to new parent status, which Reddick announced on social media earlier Sunday. His family welcomed their second son at 2:20 a.m. on May 25, then Reddick followed up hours later by finishing 26th in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte. Early night Ricky Stenhouse Jr. didn't finish his first race this year. He was the first out when Hocevar tapped his No. 47 Chevrolet, spinning Stenhouse into the wall between Turns 3 and 4 for the second caution of the race on lap 106. Punishment and more penalties possible? AJ Allmendinger started at the back of the field and served a stop-and-go penalty after the green flag for an unapproved adjustment to the splitter during Saturday's practice. His No. 16 Chevrolet was sent back to the garage and then the scanning station before practice and qualifying. The No. 66 Ford of Chad Finchum failed inspection twice leading to engineer Austin Webb's ejection. The Garage 66 team also lost pit stall selection. Up next NASCAR heads to Michigan International Speedway for the Cup Series on June 8. ___ AP auto racing: recommended
