Headline: Chris Buescher Slammed with Major Penalty After Kansas Race; RFK Racing Crew Chief Suspended
Date: May 15, 2025
Source: NASCAR / Reuters
KANSAS CITY, KS — NASCAR Cup Series driver Chris Buescher has been hit with a major penalty following a post-race inspection at Kansas Speedway. Officials discovered an illegal modification to the front bumper assembly on his No. 17 RFK Racing Ford Mustang, leading to a 60-point deduction from Buescher’s championship tally.
The infraction, classified as a Level L1 penalty, revealed that the front bumper exceeded permissible reinforcement limits — a clear violation of NASCAR’s stringent technical specifications.
As a result:
Buescher drops from 12th to 28th in the Cup Series standings.
Crew chief Scott Graves has been suspended for two races.
RFK Racing fined $75,000.
Buescher, who finished eighth in the Kansas race, now finds himself 226 points behind current standings leader William Byron. The setback is a major blow to his playoff hopes, especially as he’s only notched one top-five finish this season — a fifth place at Phoenix.
The 32-year-old driver, with six career Cup Series victories, last won at Watkins Glen in September 2024. This penalty reinforces NASCAR’s zero-tolerance stance on illegal modifications and underscores the high-stakes environment teams operate in
