Top Dog: Harrison Burton
The conclusion of each NASCAR Cup Series season may shift the spotlight to the driver holding the Bill France Cup, but it also brings bittersweet endings.
This season was the end of a remarkable 21-season career for Martin Truex Jr. Championship-winning organization Stewart-Haas Racing made its final lap before shuttering its doors during the offseason. It also appears that the last chapter has closed on FedEx’s longstanding partnership with Denny Hamlin.
Those are the main storylines when it comes to the end of several eras, and while this one didn’t produce many memories, Harrison Burton officially says goodbye to the famed No. 21 at Wood Brothers Racing.
Burton wrapped up a three-year stint with the team by finishing 16th at Phoenix Raceway (Nov. 10). As the only underdog to make the playoffs, he fittingly ended the season as the top dog among his peers.
While the result wasn’t flashy, it sends the 24-year-old out on a positive note in what was a rather tumultuous beginning to his Cup career, a journey that started with the Wood Brothers in 2022. Next season, Burton will take his services to AM Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
Closing this chapter, we really want to thank @HBurtonRacing for everything and wish him nothing but success next season. The latter half of this season has been a ride!
I don’t have a thank-you graphic because we don’t have a social graphic department, but THANK YOU HARRY
— Wood Brothers Racing (@woodbrothers21) November 11, 2024
The Huntersville, N.C., native put together one of his most solid races of the season, running inside the top 15 for much of the race after earning his second consecutive top 10 starting spot by qualifying ninth. At one point during the race, Burton was one of the fastest cars on track.
One of the fastest cars on track? Not the #Championship4 but… Harrison Burton.
Solid top-15 run and keeping pace with Logano’s times out front.#NASCAR
— Tom Bowles (@NASCARBowles) November 10, 2024
Burton’s final pass in the No. 21 came on Truex, a sure Hall-of-Famer who slipped to 17th by the end of the race.
Nobody would disagree that Burton’s Cup career to this point did not go according to plan. And with AM Racing sitting as a mid-tier Xfinity team, Burton has his work cut out for him to return to racing on Sundays.
However, the second-generation driver always held his head high and kept a smile on his face, something…
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