Harrison Burton’s first Cup win moves Daytona to tears
DAYTONA BEACH – Harrison Burton cried.
He cried throughout his victory lap at Daytona International Speedway. And that’s understandable.
Last month, Burton learned he would no longer drive for Wood Brothers Racing in 2025. He had never won a race in three full seasons of the NASCAR Cup Series. Who knew what the 23-yard-old’s future held in the sport?
“Sometimes I didn’t know if I wanted to do this anymore,” Burton said.
Then he won the Coke Zero Sugar 400 on Saturday.
For him, it was the first time in six attempts that he ever finished a race at Daytona on the lead lap.
And it changed the course of his season and maybe, just maybe, his life.
With the win, Burton moves into the playoffs.
“I can’t really put it into words,” he said. “For me, of course, it’s just the circumstances. The last three years just haven’t gone the way I wanted to represent myself, the way I wanted to represent this team.”
“And then the walls keep getting closer – my time driving this historic car is definitely over. To find a way to win while the walls keep getting closer makes this really, really special. It almost makes the last three years worthwhile.”
The triumph was also the 100th all-time for Wood Brothers Racing.
How did it happen?
Harrison Burton overtakes Kyle Busch and wins the Cup Series for the first time
Burton was unable to maintain a single lead until the last lap.
The race went into overtime after Josh Berry, who would take over the No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford next year, was upended with two laps to go. Burton began the extra two laps second on the outside row, with Kyle Busch first on the inside.
On the last lap he was faster than Busch.
Burton took a hit from behind coming out of Turn 4, which briefly put him under the yellow line, but he was able to straighten out and stay in front. NASCAR reviewed the result and gave him the green light. Busch finished second.
GREAT AMERICAN RACE: Celebrate the fast-paced history of the Daytona 500 with a new book; foreword by Richard Petty
“We didn’t play the way we wanted to,” Burton said. “But I try to play every day like we have a chance to win next weekend, because we do. It’s a fresh start every weekend. How you did last weekend doesn’t matter this weekend.”
Yes, there are no guarantees for the period after Saturday – neither for good nor for bad, neither in the short term nor in the long term.
Burton had some luck. He was able to avoid two big ones and the final Berry crash with two laps to go. At Daytona, where racing is sometimes random, winners need a little luck.
Maybe his win will inspire another team to take a look at him. Maybe not. His name is being talked about at several levels in NASCAR. He is not bitter.
“It’s simply a privilege to be able to drive a racing car,” he said.
Sometimes there are moments like on Saturday.
Harrison Burton celebrates Wood Brothers Racing’s 100th victory
As midnight rolled into Sunday morning, Burton entered his post-race press conference with a smile despite the rough 2024 he had endured, sitting next to crew chief Jeremy Bullins.
Bullins held up his drink in front of Burton.
“Cheers.”
“Cheers,” said Burton, clinking his can against Bullins’.
Burton spent the next 40 minutes talking about the past, the present and what he hopes to remember at the 2024 Coke Zero Sugar 400.
He hopes he remembers the feeling of crossing the finish line.
And he hopes he remembers the tears.
“I’ve never cried after a race win in my life,” said Burton. “I never thought about crying after a race win. But this one just means a lot to me.”
