Buescher to Drive No. 34 CSX Ford at Bristol, Talladega

Chris Buescher

Prosper, Texas, native Chris Buescher carries some good news with him to his home track of Texas Motor Speedway this week. The 22-year-old driver will pilot the No. 34 CSX "Play It Safe" Ford for fan-favorite NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Bristol (Tenn.) Motor Speedway on April 19 and Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway on May 3.

The arrangement will extend Buescher's run with Front Row Motorsports' No. 34 team to five races. He has been filling the seat for Front Row regular David Ragan, who continues to sub for the injured Kyle Busch in the No. 18 car.

Buescher is welcomed by CSX as an additional spokesperson for the transportation company's safety campaign, which reminds people to "Play It Safe" around railroad tracks and to brake for trains. CSX, with its network covering 21,000 miles of railroad tracks in 23 states, has partnered with Front Row Motorsports and the No. 34 team for three consecutive seasons, targeting males age 18 to 34 with its safety message.

"We welcome Chris as the newest member of our Play It Safe initiative," says John Claybrooks, CSX Director of Brand, Digital Media & Marketing Communications. "He's a tremendous talent on the track and is a great match to relate our safety message to an important target audience. We look forward to his help spreading the message on and off the track."

Buescher, a close friend of the Ragan family, became familiar with CSX's "Play It Safe" program in recent years through his association with the veteran driver of the No. 34. But his education on railroad safety goes all the way back to his childhood.

"I remember the railroad tracks downtown where I grew up, and I remember my parents teaching me to be aware around them and just, in general, to stay away," Buescher recalled. "It seems like a common-sense thing to not mess around with trains, but it's a message that we have to keep spreading, especially to young guys my age. I'm happy to be a part of the campaign."

Buescher has logged solid results at both Bristol and Talladega in the NASCAR XFINITY Series, earning two top-10 finishes in three starts at the high-banked short track and a second-place finish in his only start at the superspeedway.

The Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway is scheduled for Sunday, April 19, at 1 p.m. ET. The Geico 500 at Talladega Superspeedway is scheduled for Sunday, May 3, at 1 p.m. ET. Both races will air nationally on FOX.