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Buescher looks for bigger win, and $1 million that comes with it

Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Kobalt 400 - Qualifying

LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 10: Chris Buescher, driver of the #37 Natural Light Chevrolet, looks on during qualifying for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on March 10, 2017 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

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Last year’s win at Pocono was the biggest win in Chris Buescher’s life.

He’s looking for an even bigger win – with a $1 million prize to the victor – in this Saturday’s NASCAR Cup All-Star Race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

“It would probably top my last win,” Buescher said in a team media release. “It would be awesome. If we could pull it off, it’d be very special.”

Buescher feels that his JTG Daugherty Racing team has been steadily improving since he began racing for it this season (he raced for Front Row Motorsports last season).

“Our program has gotten much stronger over the last month and a half, specifically, and I’ve been really happy with the progress we’re making,” Buescher said. “Everything is starting to come together really nicely.

“We feel like we’re starting to put together really competitive cars on the racetrack, we just have to get through a little bit of bad luck and try to be mistake-free.”

But in a format like the All-Star Race, mistakes are more likely to happen than in a conventional points-paying race.

“I think there’s going to be the opportunity to make mistakes, and I think that opportunity is going to be larger than it usually is, just with all the different options we have on pit road being such a competitive place,” Buescher said. “Everyone is going to try to get as much speed as possible and you have to make sure all the lug nuts are tight and that you hit your pit box the right way. It’s going to be a challenge.

“But if you can pull that one off, it’s going to be a huge thing on your resume to be able to say you got a win at the All-Star Race.”

Buescher is in a much different situation for this year’s All-Star Race: he’s got a confirmed starting spot via his Pocono win, while last year he fell short of making the All-Star Race field.

“We tried really hard to get into the All-Star Race last year and just weren’t able to do it,” Buescher said. “But with that win at Pocono last season we’re qualified in, so we’re taking what we’ve got and we’re ready to go racing.

“We get to qualify with the other all stars, which is always interesting with the no speed limit pit road qualifying format. It’s going to be a busy weekend. It’s going to be exciting racing for a million dollars for the first time. It’s an awesome opportunity and I’m just happy to be a part of it.”

Buescher makes a good point about the no speed limit pit road during qualifying.

“It’s always been kind of comical to watch how difficult it is and see how easy it is to slide through the pit box and make a mistake,” he said. “When you’re not trying to participate in it, it’s a lot of fun to watch. But now that we’re in it, it’s a little stressful.”

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