Chris Buescher ‘bummed’ after missing birth of his son during Daytona week

Chris Buescher did everything he could, but his son didn’t wait until the RFK Racing wheelman could get out of Daytona to be born.

The breakout star of the Cup Series last season, Buescher took some time ahead of this weekend’s race at Atlanta to explain his hectic week at Daytona, where he just missed the birth of his son due to racing in last Thursday’s qualifying race.

“Certainly wasn’t planning on Daytona 500 weekend. Was a tough one to miss honestly,” Buescher told FOX’s Bob Pockrass. “Was hoping to come out of there with a win, and get to our scheduled due date, and be in a little better spot to miss a race. So not all of that quite played out. But everyone’s healthy back home, so that’s great.

“I was able to make it, I was close to making it in time, but honestly it just wasn’t quite on our radar, to be that early. So Thursday was a little hectic, from knowing I might need to make a game-plan, as soon as the Duel is over to move on home and be there, and sure enough that was the day.”

Of course, Buescher was bummed by the way things turned out, but all’s well that ends well, as he made it to his wife and their newborn soon after, and everything has been going well at home over the last week and change.

Chris Buescher: ‘Everybody’s healthy, and that’s all we really wanted’

“I certainly wanted to be there. I was definitely bummed,” Buescher added. “Got to the airport, we landed. Rented a truck. Started taking it down the road, probably a little bit too frantically. Called her. I knew when she answered, not her mom, that was not good. That meant I missed something. Yeah, a little bit, definitely bummed by it, but also understanding, that we knew it was going to be difficult. The original due date was Vegas, which would’ve been a way worse situation. It’s almost as good as it could’ve gone. Even if there had been another weekend, a Thursday, we’re typically still home. But like I said, I’m a little bummed I wasn’t quite there, but I was there very shortly after.

“Appreciate everybody working to help get me a way home, and allow me to do that. I know I missed practice on Friday, and I do feel like we left a little bit on the table for race-day because of that, but all things considered, needed to be home, for my wife. For all of us. It was still a great day, a great time to get caught up. Saturday rolled around, and knowing it was going to rain out anyway, it still didn’t feel quite right being in Charlotte for the first race weekend. Started getting a little sick to my stomach for a different reason, feeling like I wasn’t going to make it somewhere I needed to be just the same. But it was a little bit of a bummer, but at the same time, everybody’s healthy, and that’s all we really wanted.”

Could Buescher have skipped the qualifying race if he had the information? He believes so, but it was so unexpected that he never truly considered it. He’s just happy his son didn’t come during the Daytona 500.

“Never really planned on that having to be an option for us,” Buescher said, regarding missing the Duel. “I found out kind of mid-Thursday that it might be a possibility, but it wasn’t even one of those, ‘I’m heading into labor right now, and you’ve got to be here,’ it was still like, ‘Hey, you need to think about it.’ So that went into the decision.

“As soon as it was over, was going to get home and honestly, really thought I’d make it. Didn’t really see that one coming. Wasn’t one where didn’t plan on being home, I mean, probably would’ve missed that one. Sunday would’ve been a tricky situation, or Monday I guess. I was glad to be home.”

Regardless, it’s a blessing for Chris Buescher and his family, even if he’s a little disappointed he wasn’t present for the life-changing moment. Still, the NASCAR star did all the he could. Many congratulations to the Bueschers.