Drama at Daytona as Harrison Burton wins first ever NASCAR Cup race, 100th for Wood Brothers Racing
Daytona never disappoints and this weekend was no different. 23 year old Harrison Burton got his first ever Cup Series win under the lights Saturday night at one of NASCAR’s most iconic tracks winning by 0.047-second over Kyle Busch.
Burton was 34th in points and driving to save his career as it was announced earlier this year that Josh Berry, who had a nasty wreck himself, would be taking over for Burton next year in the historic #21 car.
Not only was this win massive for Harrison Burton himself who is in search of a ride for next year, but it was also historic for Wood Brothers Racing, NASCAR's oldest team. The legendary team has been fielding cars in the sport since 1950 with some of NASCAR's best drivers- Junior Johnson, Cale Yarborough, David Pearson, Kyle Petty, Dale Jarrett, Michael Waltrip, Bill Elliott, and Ryan Blaney. Now Harrison Burton got the team their 100th win in dramatic fashion.
Leigh Diffey was a welcome addition and a fresh voice in the booth and brought some extra energy to an already exciting race. However, it was Jeff Burton who made it all that more dramatic. Jeff, who had won this race 24 years ago this weekend, was color commentating as his son Harrison came across the line ahead of Kyle Busch. A special moment indeed.
Congrats to Wood Brothers, Harrison, and the entire Burton family on a very special moment. Despite being without concrete plans for 2025, it's easy to assume a win helps bolster his resume for any potential future landing spots. This race had it all, featuring 16 different leaders and 40 lead changes, with several "Big One"s in between and a theatrical finish with an unexpected winner.
In the face of adversity, Harrison Burton never lifted.
Tune in to Rubbin is Racing for a full recap of the race: