Buescher Set for 400th NASCAR Cup Start at Martinsville

Chris Buescher is about to join one of NASCAR's more exclusive clubs. When the green flag waves on Sunday's Xfinity 500 at Martinsville Speedway, the 33-year-old will make his 400th NASCAR Cup Series start, twelve seasons after a debut he never saw coming. Buescher's first Cup opportunity arrived midway through his 2015 Xfinity Series championship season, when he got an unexpected call to substitute for Brett Moffitt at California Speedway. He finished 20th that day, a run he still remembers for the moment he passed Jeff Gordon on track. Five more starts followed that season before a full-time ride with Front Row Motorsports arrived in 2016. His first Cup victory came at Pocono in just his 27th start, and he has since added five more wins across a career built on consistency rather than headlines. Buescher himself sounded almost surprised at the milestone this week, asking how 400 starts had arrived so quickly. Sunday's race is the penultimate event of the season, and the short track at Martinsville is a fitting stage for a driver whose longevity has been earned one hard-fought finish at a time.