DAYTONA, FL. – Harrison Burton secures his first Career NASCAR Cup Series victory at the Coke Zero Sugar 400.
Date: August 24, 2024
Event: Coke Zero Sugar 400 (Round 25 of 36)
Series: NASCAR Cup Series
Location: Daytona International Speedway, Daytona, Florida
Format: 160 laps (extended to 164 due to green-white-checkered finish)
In a race that epitomized the unpredictable nature of superspeedway racing, Harrison Burton captured his first-ever NASCAR Cup Series victory at the Coke Zero Sugar 400, held at the iconic Daytona International Speedway. The thrilling event, Round 25 of the 2024 season, saw intense competition, dramatic crashes, and a nail-biting finish.
Race Recap:
The 160-lap race was extended by four laps due to a green-white-checkered finish, pushing drivers and teams to their limits in a bid for victory. Driving for Wood Brothers Racing, Burton emerged as the victor with a razor-thin margin of .047 seconds over second-place finisher Kyle Busch. The win marks a significant milestone for Burton, who has been steadily progressing in the Cup Series.
Stage Winners and Race Highlights:
- Stage 1: Josh Berry of Stewart-Haas Racing secured the Stage 1 victory, earning valuable bonus points and leading for nine laps during the race. However, his night ended prematurely after a late-race accident on lap 158.
- Stage 2: Joey Logano, driving for Team Penske, took the Stage 2 win, further establishing Ford’s dominance throughout the event.
- Race Conclusion: As the race entered its final laps, the tension on the track escalated. Burton, who had been strategically positioning himself throughout the race, capitalized on the chaos of the green-white-checkered finish to cross the line first. His victory also marked Ford’s 734th all-time NASCAR Cup Series win and their sixth of the season, continuing a legacy that dates back to Ford’s first Daytona win in 1963.
Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) Performance:
- Chase Briscoe (No. 14 Ford Mustang): Briscoe started the race in 6th position and finished 14th, completing all 164 laps. He led briefly for two laps, bringing his total laps led at Daytona to 74. Briscoe’s consistent performance earned him his 11th top-15 finish of the season.
- Josh Berry (No. 4 Ford Mustang): Despite winning Stage 1, Berry’s race ended in disappointment due to an accident just six laps before the scheduled finish, relegating him to a 26th-place finish.
- Noah Gragson (No. 10 Ford Mustang): Gragson’s night was cut short after an accident on lap 59, leading to a 37th-place finish. He expressed frustration over the incident, highlighting the challenges of racing in the crowded and aggressive pack at Daytona.
- Ryan Preece (No. 41 Ford Mustang): Preece’s race ended similarly on lap 59 due to an accident. Starting from 4th, he was caught in an early wreck and could not continue after his team ran out of time to repair the car. He finished 39th.
Race Notes:
- The race featured seven caution periods covering 34 laps.
- Only 20 of the 40 drivers finished on the lead lap, underscoring the high attrition rate typical of Daytona races.
- Tyler Reddick maintained his lead in the championship standings, holding a 17-point advantage over Kyle Larson.
Post-Race Reactions:
With pride and disappointment, Josh Berry reflected on his race: “I’m good. It probably wasn’t as bad as it looked. But, man, I was bummed because we had a hell of a night going… It’s disappointing, but whether we would’ve won or flipped, we will go to work Monday and try to win next week.”
Noah Gragson, visibly frustrated, commented on his early exit: “It’s just a bummer… I was trying to get away from the 1 in the middle line. I don’t know if the seven got into me or what. I’m just disappointed.”
Ryan Preece was surprised by the early wreck: “I don’t know what happened… We were all saving fuel, so I’m kind of shocked it happened… It’s a tough deal.”
Next Race:
The NASCAR Cup Series continues with the Cook Out Southern 500 on Sunday, September 1, at Darlington Raceway. Coverage begins at 6 p.m. EDT on USA Network and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.
