With three races left before the 2025 NASCAR Cup Series playoffs, Chris Buescher finds himself in a familiar setting but with the stakes higher than ever. This time last year, his visit to the seven-turn New York road course came during the playoffs, but in 2025, it arrives with his postseason berth still very much in doubt.Sitting just 23 points above the cutline in 16th, the defending Go Bowling at The Glen winner knows that one result could decide his fate. Buescher's dramatic 2024 Watkins Glen win came after a last-lap pass on Shane van Gisbergen in the Carousel, his sixth career Cup Series victory and one of the high points of RFK Racing's season.But unlike last year, when he had already missed the cut before the Glen, this weekend is a survival fight. Speaking before the race, he made clear that while the internal approach hasn’t changed, the consequences have (via Bob Pockrass):"The situation was very much the same internally, but the repercussions are different this year. So yes, there're certainly some differences. We know where we're at on the fight for a playoff spot. Obviously, the wins are best way to guarantee your way in, but I think at this point we do have to be aware of our bubbles."The NASCAR playoffs situation is tight. With 13 drivers already in on wins, only three playoff spots remain for winless contenders. Tyler Reddick holds a 122-point cushion, Alex Bowman sits 63 points clear, and Chris Buescher has the slimmest margin of all at +23 over teammate Ryan Preece.Both the RFK Racing drivers will line up in the Go Bowling at The Glen, knowing one mistake or a new winner could flip their positions instantly."As much as I hate to admit that, it's where we found ourselves. And as we head into it, I think that for us, we wanna go into this weekend, we wanna go get on track and have really, really solid speed and say, all right, we have a chance to win, let's focus and let's make that the case for us," Buescher added (0:31 onwards).Chris Buescher's points buffer is more impressive considering setbacks earlier in the season when he was docked 30 points for a rear bumper cover violation at Kansas, while Preece lost 39 points after a Talladega DQ for an illegal rear spoiler shim count. Those penalties have added extra urgency to a race weekend where both RFK teammates will be racing not just the field, but each other for survival.Chris Buescher starts 12th as RFK teammates battle for playoff spotChris Buescher signs autographs for fans before the Brickyard 400. Source: ImagnChris Buescher will roll off 12th for Sunday's Go Bowling at The Glen after a solid qualifying effort. His teammate Brad Keselowski will start 16th while his other teammate Preece begins a row behind in 17th. Buescher also competed in the Mission 176 Truck Series race for ThorSport Racing, finishing 22nd in the No. 66 Ford, and the extra seat time will be valuable for his rhythm on the road course on Sunday.Watkins Glen has been one of Buescher's best tracks. In nine Cup starts here, he has one win, three top-10s in each of the last three seasons. His average finish of 16.1 at The Glen is backed by strong Next Gen road course form - tied with Tyler Reddick for a series-best 15 top-10s in 21 races since the Next Gen car's debut.Chris Buescher (17) during the NASCAR Cup Series Go Bowling at The Glen. Source: GettyThe Glen's 90-lap format with stage breaks at laps 20, 40, and 90 will test patience and track position, especially with the new restart zone moved to the entrance of Turn 7. Buescher has shown he can capitalize on late-race opportunities here, but this time the stakes are higher. A repeat win would secure his playoff berth outright, while a poor finish could open the door for his RFK stablemate to jump ahead.With Buescher, Preece, and Brad Keselowski all hovering near the cutline, RFK Racing faces the uncomfortable reality of three cars fighting for what could be as few as two available playoff positions and fewer still if an unexpected winner emerges in the final three races.