In an exciting course of events, ThorSport Racing has announced that Chris Buescher, a six-time NASCAR Cup Series race winner, will make his NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series debut this Friday, August 8, at Watkins Glen International. Buescher will pilot the #66 FarmPaint.com Ford F-150 in the Mission 176, marking his first start in the series after more than a decade at NASCAR’s top levels. The defending Cup Series winner at Watkins Glen, Buescher earned his sixth career Cup victory at the venue last September after a tense late-race duel with road course specialist Shane van Gisbergen. “Watkins Glen has been a special place for me, especially after last year’s win,” Buescher said. “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. I’m thankful for Duke, Rhonda, and Allison Thorson for giving me the opportunity to do so.”
Buescher’s path to the NASCAR Cup Series bypassed the Truck Series entirely. The Prosper, Texas, native moved directly from ARCA competition in 2012 to a part-time Xfinity Series schedule in 2013. Over the course of his Xfinity career, he claimed three race victories and won the 2015 NASCAR Xfinity Series Championship, paving the way for his promotion to the Cup Series the following season. Since then, Buscher has established himself as a consistent competitor for Brad Keselowski’s RFK Racing, where he currently drives the #17 Ford Mustang Dark Horse. This season, after 23 events, Buscher sits on the playoff cutline, holding a 23-point advantage over RFK teammate Ryan Preece in the battle for a postseason berth.
The Mission 176 is scheduled for Friday, August 8, at 5:00 p.m. ET, and will air on FS1, NASCAR Racing Network, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90. Thor Sport Racing, a multi-time championship-winning organization in the Truck Series, will field the entry for Buescher in an event that adds another chapter to his Watkins Glen legacy. The veteran driver’s participation comes nearly ten years after his last start in a lower NASCAR division, a span that predates Joey Logano’s first Cup championship, Jeff Gordon’s retirement from full-time racing, and Martin Truex Jr.’s switch from Chevrolet to Toyota with Furniture Row Racing. For Buescher, the debut offers both a chance to reconnect with NASCAR’s developmental ladder and an opportunity to compete on one of his most successful tracks in a new type of vehicle.
#NASCAR … Chris Buescher to make his first career Truck start Aug. 8 at Watkins Glen in the No. 66 for ThorSport Racing
— Dustin Long (@dustinlong) August 4, 2025
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