To say that Harrison Burton’s tenure in the NASCAR Cup Series was tough would be a massive understatement.

Five top-10 finishes and a best point finish of 27th were all Burton could manage in his first 97 Cup Series starts. But on Saturday in Daytona, everything changed.

Burton started second on the final restart of the race, and with two-time Cup Series champion Kyle Busch on the inside, he had a difficult task ahead of him if he wanted to earn his first Cup Series victory.

Hollywood couldn’t have written it better: After a push from Parker Retzlaff on the last lap, Burton shot ahead of Busch and was able to secure his first victory in the Cup Series.

It’s poetic that Burton’s Cup Series career began with a slip-up at Daytona in 2022 and now the first chapter of it ends with a win at the same track. Of course, Burton still has 11 races left – including a potential playoff run – but with Josh Berry already confirming he will drive the No. 21 car in 2025, Burton is still looking for a new car.

A win on a superspeedway track can’t make up for his poor overall results, but it proves that Burton has a trait that is crucial in modern NASCAR racing: he is capable of winning under pressure when it matters most.

Burton’s win gives him a chance to win a Cinderella title, but it’s also the 100th victory for the storied Wood Brothers. Perhaps most importantly, it guarantees the team a payout of at least $3 million over the next three years, allowing team officials to be a little more relaxed about the team’s financial situation.

Burton’s time with the Wood Brothers may be almost over, but at just 23 years old, he still has plenty of time to regroup and start a new chapter in his NASCAR career.

With his win Saturday night, it has become even more likely that the action of this new chapter will take place in the Cup Series, where the second-generation driver belongs – at least for now.