NASCAR racing has become linked with family and their ongoing contributions to the sport. The Pettys were the early flagbearers, and the Earnhardts carried on the legacy. Even today, several racing families contribute to this unique equation in stock car racing. It’s as if you were born into a racing family; chances are you’ll become a race car driver too.
While the prospect of continuing the family’s racing legacy is inviting and exciting, not everyone is guaranteed success just by carrying a family banner. This is something a second-generation racer like Harrison Burton can relate to. Although he got a taste of winning races in Xfinity, his time in the Cup Series has been a tough ride so far.
Despite his recent struggles and challenges, his father, Jeff Burton, advised him to give it his all and finish his stint at Wood Brothers Racing on a high.
With Wood Brothers Racing announcing Josh Berry as their new driver in 2025, Harrison Burton, driving the No. 21 Ford, will have to vacate his season at the end of the season. In his third full-time season at WBR, the 23-year-old has not been able to repeat his heroics from the Xfinity Series.
In over 80 starts, he has just four top-10s and a single top finish. With the 2024 season following a similar trend, the higher-ups on the team decided to replace Harrison Burton with a better prospect, and they ended up signing Josh Berry, as SHR is set to shut down its operations. For a young driver who quickly rose ranks and found himself in a Cup ride to now being shown an exit door is a humbling experience.
However, despite his struggles, Jeff Burton believed that the only way to make amends for his woes was to give his all in the remaining races of the season. “At the end of the day, when it’s all said and done, if it works out or not, did you give it everything that it deserved, right? Because it is a damn privilege to drive a race car for a living. There’s only a very small amount of people that get a chance to do that. So if you are one of those few, make sure you don’t take that for granted.” The 57-year-old said this via NASCAR’s YouTube channel.
Be the first to comment