Chris Buescher is set to make a long-awaited first appearance in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series this weekend at Watkins Glen, and fans are already buzzing about the historic moment. The 2025 Mission 176 will see the 32-year-old veteran add a new chapter to his NASCAR career while juggling playoff pressure in the Cup Series. With a stacked field featuring multiple Cup regulars, the road course showdown is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated Truck races of the season.
Key Highlights
Chris Buescher to make his NASCAR Truck Series debut Friday at Watkins Glen with ThorSport Racing.
Field features Cup regulars Christopher Bell, Ross Chastain, and Michael McDowell alongside Truck Series standouts.
Fans react to Buescher’s first-ever Truck start, calling the entry list “stacked” and “unexpected.”
Buescher seeks second straight Watkins Glen Cup victory while holding final playoff spot by 23 points.
Mission 176 marks Truck Series’ first return to The Glen since 2021, green flag at 5 p.m. ET on FS1.
Fans React to Buescher’s Long-Awaited Truck Debut
Chris Buescher has raced in NASCAR for over a decade, collecting six Cup Series victories and a well-earned reputation as a skilled road course driver. Yet despite a long career spanning ARCA, Xfinity, and Cup, he’s never turned a lap in a Truck Series race—until now. When ThorSport Racing announced Buescher would pilot the No. 66 Ford in Friday’s Mission 176 at Watkins Glen, social media lit up with excitement and humor.
“THE BUESCHER FAMILY TREE SACRIFICED ALL THEIR TRUCK STARTS TO JAMES… UNTIL NOW.” – NASCAR Fan Reaction
Many fans simply expressed shock at the announcement, noting that it’s rare for a veteran with over ten years of NASCAR experience to have zero prior Truck starts. Others pointed out the added intrigue of having yet another Cup-caliber driver joining the grid.
“BUESCHER IN A TRUCK RACE IN THE BIG 2025!” – NASCAR Fan Reaction
“Just to remind you all, since racing in NASCAR for over a decade, Chris Buescher never set foot in a truck.” – NASCAR Fan Reaction
🚨@Chris_Buescher is set to make his NASCAR Truck Series debut this Friday at Watkins Glen, driving the No. 66 https://t.co/yJLe9nHRr0 Ford F-150 for ThorSport Racing.
Tune in at 5 PM ET on FS1 to watch Buescher return to a track he knows all too well – this time in a different… pic.twitter.com/U7ZVOGQIti
— ThorSport Racing (@ThorSportRacing) August 4, 2025
A Star-Studded Truck Field at The Glen
The Mission 176 will be the first Truck Series race at Watkins Glen since 2021, and it’s attracting attention for its stacked entry list. Alongside Buescher, drivers Christopher Bell, Ross Chastain, and Michael McDowell will step down from the Cup Series to compete against Truck regulars like Corey Heim. The presence of multiple top-level talents has fans hyped for what could be one of the most competitive road course races of the season.
“MAN, THE TRUCK FIELD IS GOING TO BE STACKED. BELL, BUESCHER, CHASTAIN, MCDOWELL, POSSIBLY ZILISCH. IT’S SHAPING UP TO BE A HELL OF A RACE.” – NASCAR Fan Reaction
“CUP SERIES RACE DISGUISED AS TRUCKS.” – NASCAR Fan Reaction
The prospect of Heim facing real pressure on a road course added to the excitement. Heim, one of the Truck Series’ most dominant talents, rarely faces such a challenge from Cup veterans in this type of event.
WITH CHRISTOPHER BELL AND CHRIS BUESCHER RUNNING THE RACE, COREY HEIM MIGHT ACTUALLY HAVE SOME COMPETITION.” – NASCAR Fan Reaction
“LOOKS LIKE ALL THE CUP GUYS DECIDED TO GET TOGETHER TO TRY AND MAKE SURE HEIM LOSES A ROAD COURSE FOR ONCE.” – NASCAR Fan Reaction
Buescher Balances Cup Playoff Battle and Extra Seat Time
While Friday marks his long-awaited Truck debut, Buescher’s weekend focus remains on Sunday’s Go Bowling at The Glen, where he’ll try to secure his playoff spot in the No. 17 RFK Racing Ford. Last year, he claimed his first career road course victory at the historic venue, and he’ll attempt to repeat that success while sitting just 23 points above the cut line for the 2025 Cup Series postseason. The additional laps in the Truck race could serve as valuable preparation, giving him extra track time before Sunday’s critical event.
The Truck start also reunites Buescher with a competitive ThorSport Racing entry, known for its strong road course setups. For fans, seeing a proven Cup race winner compete head-to-head with Truck Series regulars—and doing so for the very first time—adds another layer of intrigue to an already loaded weekend at Watkins Glen International.
News in Brief: Chris Buescher’s Unexpected Watkins Glen Start
Chris Buescher will make his NASCAR Truck Series debut in the No. 66 ThorSport Racing Ford during Friday’s Mission 176 at Watkins Glen. Fans are calling the stacked entry list—which includes Cup drivers Christopher Bell, Ross Chastain, and Michael McDowell—one of the best of 2025. Buescher, last year’s Cup winner at The Glen, remains 23 points above the playoff cut line heading into Sunday’s race. The Truck Series returns to Watkins Glen for the first time since 2021.
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