The RFK Racing team is preparing for a pivotal return to Kansas Speedway, where driver Chris Buescher looks to overcome the heartbreak that defined his 2024 season. The upcoming NASCAR Cup Series race marks a chance for Buescher and his No. 17 Ford to turn past disappointment into triumph, as he aims to rewrite the ending at the venue that brought him both agony and renewed determination. This weekend’s race holds special importance for RFK Racing, whose star driver is driven by the narrowest of losses, hoping to claim victory in 2025 after falling just inches short.
In May 2024, Chris Buescher crossed the finish line at Kansas Speedway a mere 0.01 seconds behind Kyle Larson, making it the closest finish in NASCAR Cup Series history. Despite his six career Cup wins, including a celebrated road course victory at Watkins Glen International in September 2024, the near-miss at Kansas remains a source of pain and motivation for both Buescher and the RFK Racing garage. As the Cup Series returns to the challenging 1.5-mile oval, the question lingers: Can RFK Racing deliver the redemption their journey demands?
Reflecting on last year’s heartbreak, Buescher has described his emotions in blunt terms. “It just hurts,” he admitted, recalling the moments that denied him a seventh Cup trophy. In those final laps at Kansas, he battled Larson in a wild drag race, but a critical decision in the closing stretch cost him dearly. Instead of surging ahead, Buescher’s lane choice handed the advantage to Larson, whose win is etched in the sport’s record books.
Buescher said, underscoring just how deeply the result stung both personally and professionally.
In the lead-up to this year’s event, the RFK Racing driver has been candid about the specific moments that unraveled his chance for victory. Interviewed by Steve Letarte, Buescher provided an inside look at the intricacies of Kansas Speedway, a track where strategy and split-second choices make the difference.
Buescher’s disappointment is not a solitary burden—RFK Racing as a whole has embraced the challenge of learning from the defeat. Team strategists and engineers have analyzed every aspect of that Kansas race, seeking ways to translate last year’s lessons into this year’s preparation. In the world of stock car racing, redemption often comes through the relentless pursuit of improvement, and RFK Racing’s technical group has not wasted the months since the narrow loss. Advanced simulations and intense study of tire wear, draft effects, and lane choices have informed their approach as they gear up for another shot at Kansas glory.
For Buescher, racing simulators are only a piece of the puzzle. He knows that nothing replicates the stress and unpredictability of a true race-day finish. With humility and resolve, he has acknowledged the factors that undid last year’s effort.
Those final moments—where hope turned to frustration—have fueled a season’s worth of determination for both Buescher and RFK Racing. While other teams fight for wins, RFK Racing is motivated by unfinished business and the shared memory of a victory that slipped through their fingers. As the 2025 field takes shape, the competition at Kansas will be fierce, featuring a mix of returning contenders and ambitious rivals all seeking the prestige of a Cup Series victory.
Kansas Speedway’s unique layout has become a proving ground for Next-Gen cars like the Ford Mustang driven by Buescher. The track’s progressive banking, multiple lanes, and ever-changing grip levels create an environment where adaptability and split-second choices determine outcomes. For RFK Racing, Kansas is especially appealing—a place where car setup nuance and driver intuition combine for dramatic finishes. The venue has witnessed standout performances from different manufacturers, with Chevrolets, Toyotas, and Fords each enjoying spells of dominance. Last year, all three podium spots were claimed by Chevrolet drivers, but Toyota challengers like Martin Truex Jr, Denny Hamlin, and Christopher Bell were close contenders, keeping every competitor vigilant.
The RFK Racing camp is particularly alert to the performance trends emerging at Kansas. From 2021 to 2024, a series of victories by Toyota drivers—including Kurt Busch, Bubba Wallace, Denny Hamlin, and Tyler Reddick—upended the balance of power. Bell, in particular, has earned pole position for three consecutive Kansas races and has led every Cup event at the track since the Next Gen car’s debut. Denny Hamlin’s remarkable streak of seven straight top-ten finishes has put additional pressure on rivals like Buescher, who must measure their progress against some of the sport’s most consistent performers.
Even defending Kansas winner Kyle Larson admits that the competition remains intense and unpredictable.
Larson shared recently, reflecting a cautious optimism despite his own successes. He also regards the 2024 finish as a career-defining memory:
RFK Racing’s internal culture, focused on resilience and growth, has shaped their approach to this critical Kansas event. Teammates, engineers, and support staff have contributed to a comprehensive strategy, aiming to strengthen every facet of their race plan. As other drivers prepare, the memory of Buescher’s near-victory is far from forgotten in the garage. Discussions focus not only on technical setup and tire strategy, but also on racecraft—the ability to make bold yet calculated moves in the crucible of competition. The team is keenly aware that in the NASCAR Cup Series, razor-thin margins separate the victors from those left to ponder what might have been.
For Chris Buescher, the challenge of returning to Kansas Speedway is as psychological as it is athletic. The emotional weight of his 2024 finish is a motivating force—one that could either inspire a breakthrough or add to the record of near-misses. Yet, within RFK Racing, confidence is quietly growing. The combination of experience, focus, and technical excellence has convinced many that this weekend’s race offers a genuine opportunity for redemption. As Buescher stated, recent adjustments in technique and car setup are designed to maximize flexibility at Kansas, allowing the team to respond rapidly as conditions evolve.
he explained, highlighting Kansas Speedway’s unique tactical demands.
The impending race at Kansas will not only test the skills of drivers but will also challenge the adaptability and ambitions of entire organizations. RFK Racing, with its storied history and renewed determination, understands the stakes. Each member of the team—on the pit box, in the garage, and behind the wheel—has internalized the lessons of 2024, turning them into catalysts for growth. The hope, and perhaps the expectation, is that the frustration of being
will be transformed into the satisfaction of victory. For many observers, Buescher’s response to heartbreak remains instructive: accept the setback, analyze it, and return stronger.
As the field prepares to take the green flag, uncertainty mixes with anticipation. Will RFK Racing find the redemption so many within the sport believe they deserve? Can Chris Buescher apply the hard-won lessons gleaned from a haunting loss, and finally claim a victory that would resonate far beyond Kansas Speedway’s walls? The answers will come in the intensity of battle, measured in fractions of a second and judged by competitors who respect both the agony of defeat and the thrill of redemption. For now, RFK Racing and Chris Buescher are united in their pursuit—chasing not just a win, but validation, growth, and a chance to rewrite a story defined by both pain and promise.
The eyes of the NASCAR world will be watching closely as RFK Racing stands on the edge of another defining Kansas moment. Whether triumph or adversity lies ahead, the team’s grit and preparation will be on full display. No matter the result, their pursuit of redemption promises to shape not only their season, but also the narratives and aspirations of competitors across the Cup Series landscape. As the engines roar and the laps unwind, the promise of a second chance at Kansas gives every member of RFK Racing one more reason to believe this could be the year heartbreak yields, at last, to hope.
