Cup rookie Harrison Burton’s biggest lesson? “I won’t quit”
The finding out curve is steeper, the races lengthier and the tracks additional hard, but Burton stays steadfast in his belief he will make his prospect in the Cup sequence function.
Burton, the 21-calendar year-aged son of NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee Jeff Burton, is coming off a vocation-greatest finish of 14th previous weekend at Darlington (S.C.) Raceway, one particular of just four races this period on which he’s concluded on the direct lap.
The continually potent overall performance by he and his No. 21 Wooden Brothers crew on Sunday might only be a tiny victory, but it was an vital stage.
“It’s like the first time exactly where I was not awkward in this race motor vehicle, which is quite wild when you think about it,” Burton reported. “This is a difficult race automobile to travel, which is terrific for our activity, I feel.
“When you hit it right, it drives really effectively, so we experienced some notes to establish off of now – issues that I like, particularly primarily based off of that run, some adjustments that I like – and ideally that can have around.
“For me, it was like, ‘Oh, my gosh. I can lastly go be aggressive in this motor vehicle.’ And I hadn’t felt that nevertheless and now I variety of come to feel like we’ll be in a position to replicate that and go get following it more.”
Harrison Burton, Wood Brothers Racing, Ford Mustang, Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Camry, crash
Photograph by: NASCAR Media
In his reasonably brief NASCAR occupation, Burton has savored achievements and quickly moved up the ladder.
He received the NASCAR K&N Professional Collection East (now ARCA East) title in 2017, ran fulltime in Vans in 2019 and ran two fulltime seasons in Xfinity (with 4 wins) ahead of staying tapped to push the Wooden Brothers’ iconic No. 21 Ford this year.
Even though Burton hasn’t concluded even worse than 12th in any fulltime NASCAR season up to this 12 months, he at present sits 29th in the Cup Sequence standings.
“It’s been a tough get started to say the minimum. Fourteenth-spot is our most effective complete, so which is not very good. There is no hiding that,” he claimed. “I feel there is been some expanding pains there and I really feel like now we’re obtaining rolling in the ideal direction.
“So, I’m energized to get back again to the race track and with any luck , be in that spot to try and contend for wins and just just take it one particular stage at a time and get some top rated-10s, get some major-fives and establish there.
“I feel if I get in a spot where I’m racing for a gain, I’m going to be fairly aggressive for a several amount of reasons. Certainly, it would definitely modify my whole lifestyle. I believe it would be amazing for the Wood Brothers to get their 100th earn.”
Undeterred
No matter if he is in a position to put himself in position for a victory this year or not, Burton reported the go to the Cup Series has been eye-opening and taught him a whole lot about himself.
They are lessons Burton thinks will be a gain his whole NASCAR job.
“I assume the biggest thing I’ve discovered is that I won’t give up. There’s almost nothing that I will at any time give up. I feel some of the very good factors about this start off is you establish self-assurance in your get the job done ethic, you build self-assurance in your drive,” he explained.
“When matters are negative, that’s when you discover out who you are. You go as a result of adversity in life. Anyone has it and I sense like it will make you improved. It is just a thing that, for me, is remarkable that I have long gone by means of this rough place and some genuinely tough moments.
“I’ve been in points that had been genuinely disappointing, leaving the race monitor with your head hanging reduced and Monday early morning rolls around and I’m as thrilled and inspired as ever to go to function and function harder than I at any time have. My appreciate for this sport is greater than I think it’s at any time been simply because I take pleasure in what Cup is all about.”
