NASCAR: Chris Buescher to drive for Roush Fenway Racing in 2020

Chris Buescher is set to replace Ricky Stenhouse Jr. at Roush Fenway Racing beginning in the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season.

Roush Fenway Racing confirmed that Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will not be returning to the team as the driver of the #17 Ford in the 2020 NASCAR Cup Series season despite the fact that he previously stated that his contract ran through the 2021 season.

Instead, Chris Buescher is set to to leave JTG Daugherty Racing and replace the 31-year-old Olive Branch, Mississippi native.

Here is what team co-owner Jack Roush had to say about the matter, according to NASCAR.

"“We are certainly excited to have Chris back in the fold at Roush Fenway Racing. He has a long history with our organization and we’ve always been a big fan of Chris and his racing style. We have watched his progress with great interest over the last couple of seasons and we are looking forward to having him in the No. 17 as we continue to grow our program next season.”"

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Buescher has competed full-time in the Cup Series since the 2016 season after spending the 2014 and 2015 seasons driving for Roush Fenway Racing full-time in the Xfinity Series. He landed a Cup Series ride with Front Row Motorsports for the 2016 season after winning the 2015 Xfinity Series championship.

After winning a rain-shortened race at Pocono Raceway in his rookie season to qualify for the playoffs, the 26-year-old Prosper, Texas native landed a ride at JTG Daugherty Racing ahead of the 2017 season, and he has driven for the team ever since.

Throughout his Cup Series career, Buescher has competed in 142 races and recorded 12 top 10 finishes, including four top five finishes. He has led 30 of the 39,343 laps that he has completed. His career average starting position is 24.4, and his career average finishing position is 22.0.

So far this season, he has recorded a career-high four top 10 finishes, and he sits in 20th place in the championship standings with a career-high average finish of 17.6. His average starting position is 22.1, giving him the second highest average positions gained per race tally among all drivers. He sits second to Roush Fenway Racing’s Ryan Newman in this category (19.8 to 13.5).

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Just eight races remain on the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series schedule before Chris Buescher is officially slated to become the driver of the #17 Ford for Roush Fenway Racing. Who will replace him behind the wheel of the #37 Chevrolet for JTG Daugherty Racing for the 2020 season?

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