RFK Racing issues statement after Chris Buescher NASCAR penalty, addresses appeal decision

Following NASCAR’s stiff penalty for Chris Buescher stemming from a bumper penalty following the AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway, RFK Racing has spoken out. The team released a statement on Thursday morning.

Buescher was hit with a 60-point penalty. In addition, his team was fined $75,000 and crew chief Scott Graves was suspended for two races.

“RFK Racing acknowledges the penalties assessed by NASCAR to the No. 17 Ford Mustang following this past weekend’s race in Kansas,” the RFK Racing statement read. “We remain committed to full compliance with NASCAR’s rules. At this time, we are carefully reviewing the details of the situation to determine if we will file an appeal within the timeframe allotted.”

Following Sunday’s AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway, Chris Buescher was sent to the R&D center for further inspection. He was hit with a bumper penalty, relating to how the front fascia was strengthened for the incident.

Buescher initially finished eighth at Kansas. That left him 14th in the NASCAR playoff standings, sitting at +33 points. He hasn’t placed first to this point. He was also 12th in NASCAR Cup Points with 284, which is 185 points off the pace. All of that was prior to his penalty, though. He’ll now drop to 224 points and 245 points off the pace.

Kyle Larson, who snagged his third win of the season at the AdventHealth 400 at Kansas Speedway, is sitting atop the NASCAR playoff standings with 23 playoff points. He also has a 35-point cushion over William Byron in the NASCAR Cup points with a total of 469 to this point.

Given where Buescher stands, a point penalty puts him and RFK Racing in a difficult position moving forward. Now, he’s going to have to be careful to avoid any further issues.

After the race, cars went to tech. There, an issue came up with Buescher’s car that forced it to get sent to the R&D center. That’s where cars go for further inspection. It was after that happened that there were rumors that a penalty could be coming following Sunday’s race.

Buescher drives the No. 17 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for RFK Racing. Following Kansas, RFK Racing was sitting in 13th among the different teams. They have 284 points and are trailing by 185 points. It’s Hendrick Motorsports leading the way there with 469 points.

Together, RFK Racing and Chris Buescher will decide on the next steps following the penalty. That could involve an appeal. Earlier this season, after Chase Briscoe was docked 100 points, he was able to win on appeal. That initial penalty came after the R&D center found violations relating to his spoiler.

On3’s Dan Morrison also contributed to this report.