TRUCKS: Chris Buescher to Make NASCAR Truck Debut at Watkins Glen

Originally posted on Racing America on SI
By Toby Christie | Last updated Aug 4, 2025 11:43 AM ET

Jonathan McCoy | Racing America On SI

Chris Buescher may be a NASCAR Xfinity Series champion and six-time winner in the NASCAR Cup Series, but this weekend at Watkins Glen International, he'll get a chance to do something he's never done in his NASCAR National Series career. Buescher will get to make his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut.

ThorSport Racing announced on Monday morning that Buescher, a native of Prosper, TX, who is the full-time driver of the No. 17 RFK Racing Ford Mustang Dark Horse in the NASCAR Cup Series, will slide behind the wheel of its No. 66 Ford F-150 in Friday's NASCAR Truck Series event at the 2.45-mile New York road course.

For Buescher, the track holds special significance as he picked up the win in the NASCAR Cup Series event at Watkins Glen a season ago following a hard-fought battle with Shane van Gisbergen. This year, he'll chase a Truck Series win in his debut while attempting to get additional on-track reps heading into Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling at the Glen.

“Watkins Glen has been a special place for me, especially after last year’s win, so I’m really looking forward to getting back there. It’s a great place for me to make my first-ever Truck Series start, and I’m thankful for Duke, Rhonda, and Allison Thorson for giving me the opportunity to do so,” said Buescher in a press release.

FarmPaint.com, a longtime sponsorship partner of ThorSport Racing, will serve as the primary sponsor of Buescher's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut. The ThorSport Racing team released a rendering of what Buescher's No. 66 truck will look like this weekend via a post on X.

@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

The 32-year-old racer has become one of the best road racers in the sport, and he has finished inside the top 10 in each of his last three NASCAR Cup Series starts at Watkins Glen. Overall, Buescher has recorded six top-five finishes and 17 top-10s combined on road courses and street courses throughout his NASCAR Cup Series career.

Now, he'll look to add to that impressive resume in Friday's NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series event on Friday, August 8. Friday's NASCAR Truck race will be televised on FS1 beginning at 5:00 PM ET. The Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio will provide the radio broadcast of the event.

Buescher is currently the final driver inside of the 16-driver NASCAR Cup Series Playoff standings. With three races remaining until the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs begin, Buescher holds a 23-point advantage over Ryan Preece, his RFK Racing teammate, for the final Playoff position.

This article first appeared on Racing America on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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