The 2009 Formula 1 world champion was making the first of three planned outings in the Cup Series this year in a Rick Ware Racing Ford, as he gears up to a return to the Le Mans 24 Hours with Hendrick Motorsport’s Garage 56 NASCAR programme.
Button finished 18th as the best of the road course ringers, ahead of Jordan Taylor and former F1 rival Kimi Raikkonen, after an eventful race that went into triple overtime and saw numerous incidents.
The Briton explained afterwards that he struggled with cockpit temperatures and came close to retiring from the race as a result.
“It was so hot, I don’t have a fan in my seat which really didn’t help me too much,” he said.
“I thought I was going to faint in the car, so I stopped twice for a minute. They put ice on me, gave me loads of water, and I went back out.
“I was so close to getting out of the car because I thought I was going to faint. I must’ve drank eight, nine bottles of water during the race.
“The team kept me calm, and it’s the reason why we got a good result in the end. So, I was happy.”
Button described his race as “an emotional rollercoaster” and admitted to feeling his first stint was “embarrassing” as he got into a rhythm from 24th on the grid.
“First, it was terrible,” he said. “I mean, I must’ve been last by the end of it. And I was just like, ‘Everyone: Go. I just need to drive and find a rhythm.’
Jenson Button, Rick Ware Racing, Mobil 1 Ford Mustang
Photo by: Nigel Kinrade / NKP / Motorsport Images
“I’ve never gone through a corner too wide, so often.
“The first stint was really bad – it was embarrassing for me.
“I was like, ‘Alright guys, we need to pit, freshen the tyres and I need some air – I need some fresh air.’
“I got that. The pace was good, consistency was good. I was really happy, and passed a few cars which was nice.
“We got a little bit unlucky with the safety car because it was just two laps before our window. Pitted, then the next stint was mayhem.
“We also made a couple of changes that just didn’t work. Big oversteer – went from the car feeling great to really difficult to drive.”
Button even had a run-in with Raikkonen at one point, saying: “I also had a massive whack from Kimi, and it fell off after that. The car wasn’t quite right.
“Every time I turned in, the rear tyres would chatter, then immediately to oversteer.
“It was really difficult, but towards the end, we made some good calls stopping and putting on fresh tyres.
“I enjoyed the last three restarts – got good placement and good overtaking moves from the outside.”
Button will make his next NASCAR Cup Series appearance at the Chicago Street Course race on 2 July.