HOMESTEAD, Fla. -- Even in the moments Chris Buescher was celebrating his NASCAR XFINITY Series title Saturday night, his team owner Jack Roush was suggesting that the newly-crowned champion might end up in the Sprint Cup Series in 2016.
The only question seemed to be whether it would be a full-time ride or a part-time gig.
"We're still not sure what his arrangement is going to be next year,'' Roush said. "He will be involved in a Cup car to some extent, but whether it's a part‑time program or a full program, we're still in the midst of finalizing the conditions today.
"We've got a number of possibilities, but we're not ready to announce that today."
While Roush is still securing details, it was all news to Buescher.
Reporters told Buescher of Roush's comments -- made before the driver came into the deadline media room at Homestead-Miami Speedway -- but the newly crowned champ wasn't ready to confirm a change beyond his intent to run a full XFINITY schedule in 2016.
Buescher made six Cup starts this season in the Front Row Motorsports No. 34 Ford with a best finish of 20th at Fontana.
"So I've been clear, I'm not in a rush,'' Buescher, 23, said Saturday after celebrating his XFINITY Series title. "If it comes around -- and that's the first I've heard of that, by the way -- so it's kind of like the radio interview where Jack said something four months ago and I found out from my dad.
"But you know, if that's what it brings, then I'll do my best to prepare for it and be ready, and if not, we'll go try and double up on these XFINITY championships.
"Right now we're living in the moment, and that's a big weight off our shoulders. We get to calm down a little bit, get to celebrate, get to enjoy the banquet, going to do some offshore fishing while we're down here in Florida, and get ready for 2016."