Buescher 'doesn't know what to say' after losing closest race ever

NASCAR Cup Series driver Chris Buescher. Matthew O'Haren-USA TODAY Sports

Chris Buescher 'doesn't know what to say' after losing closest NASCAR race ever

By Samuel Stubbs | Last updated 5/5/24

Chris Buescher was understandably disappointed on Sunday evening after losing in the closest NASCAR Cup Series finish ever.

The 31 year-old driver came up just one one-thousandth of a second short of victory at the Kansas Speedway, just barely getting edged out by Kyle Larson. In the seconds following the checkered flag, Buescher was scored the winner.

After official review, however, it was determined that Larson's Camaro reached the finish line first, demoting Buescher to the most heartbreaking second place finish of all time.

Get used to this replay. You'll be seeing it for a long time.@KevinHarvick, @ClintBowyer and @mikejoy500 break down the closest finish in NASCAR history. pic.twitter.com/nIBbNzrUZG
— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) May 6, 2024

"I don't know what to say right now," Buescher said, speaking to Fox Sports' Regan Smith after the race. "It sucks to be that close. It was a great finish for us. It was a strong day for us. We really needed that, but we needed a win more."

The runner-up finish for Buescher marks his sixth top-10 finish of the season, but his first since Richmond on Easter. It's also Buescher's first top-five finish of the season after he finishes second to Christopher Bell at Phoenix.

After a three-win season in 2023, expectations were high for Buescher coming into 2024. While he'd been solid to start the season — he sat 14th in points going into Sunday's race at Kansas — winning is now the expectation, and he came as close as you possibly can to victory without attaining it.

Buescher will now look to parlay his momentum from Kansas into a solid showing at Darlington. If he's involved in another late-race battle for the win, you can bet that he'll want to come out on top more than ever.

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