What’s better than winning your first-ever Cup Series race at the iconic Daytona International Speedway? It’s winning in front of your dad! As Harrison Burton made his Victory Lap at the World Center of Racing, a jubilant Jeff Burton hopped on the radio to congratulate his son. But the feeling was bittersweet. Young Burton’s win came a bit too late; he lost his seat to Josh Berry just last month.

And now, in a candid interview, the former NASCAR driver has revealed what exactly let to his son’s departure from Wood Brothers Racing. And let us tell you, NASCAR is a lot more cut-throat than you’d guessed!

Jeff Burton’s revelation highlights the harsh reality of the NASCAR world

The former Kyle Busch Motorsports driver’s result at Coke Zero Sugar 400 simply masked the harsh reality of Burton’s time at Wood Brothers Racing. Revealing the reason behind his son’s departure, Jeff Burton told Motorsports on NBC, “They [the #21 team] haven’t executed. They’ve run way better than they’ve finished. He’s lost his job because of it. That’s how it is. No one on this end is upset. No one liked it. No one’s mad that he lost his job. We’re disappointed, but it’s a results-based business and the results weren’t there. We can look at every race and dissect it and the problem was they just didn’t execute and get the finishes.”

There is an element of truth in Jeff Burton’s words. Before the race at Daytona, Harrison Burton’s highest finish of the season was a 10th place at Talladega Superspeedway. Four DNFs haven’t helped the North Carolina native either, only compounding a string of disappointing results. His last two seasons haven’t been much of an improvement, with Burton not finishing higher than 27th in the driver standings.

However, his result at Daytona was monumental for many reasons. Not only was it Wood Brothers Racing’s first win since Pocono Raceway in 2017, but it was also their 100th Cup Series victory. If that wasn’t all, it was the No. 21 Ford Mustang driver’s first time in Victory Lane in 98 Cup Series starts, and in the penultimate race of the regular season no less. With the 23-year-old set to lose his seat, time was running out for Burton to prove himself at NASCAR’s highest level. But he sure did with one of the biggest upsets of the season so far.

On the other hand, WBR’s decision can be deemed as a desperate attempt to salvage itself. They were a hallowed team dominating the NASCAR circuits back in the 1970s with 54 wins. On the contrary, Burton’s win was only their fourth one since 2000.

But a change was necessary. You can say that it was almost inevitable and the result at Daytona International Speedway doesn’t change the bigger picture. Josh Berry, under the limited resources of the soon-to-be-deceased Stewart-Haas Racing, is 12 places higher in the driver standings with two top-five and four top-ten results. In a results-based industry like NASCAR, is it a surprise to see an underperforming driver being replaced by one who could get better results?

While Harrison Burton isn’t solely to be blamed for lackluster results, the brutal reality of the NASCAR world is that drivers often bear the brunt when results don’t match expectations.

Harrison Burton opens up about family support

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It hasn’t been an easy time for Harrison Burton in the last few years. The driver has struggled to make his mark in the Cup Series, and losing his seat has only made matters worse. Despite the uncertainty surrounding his future, the 23-year-old has had the unwavering support of his family, who have been firmly behind him through both good and bad times. That may have played a big role in Burton finding the strength to overcome an almost three-year-long slump at Wood Brothers Racing to finally secure a victory.

Expressing gratitude for his family, Harrison Burton said, “What’s really been awesome is the unwavering support from them, right? And they’ve seen me in my darkest days, they’ve seen me in the good days, and sometimes more than I know myself that I’m capable of doing it. My dad has never been the type of dad to sugarcoat anything. […] But with that being said he still always told me that he believed in me and that he knew I could do it and that he has seen me do it.”

The North Carolina native has a lot to look forward to before the Cup Series season finally comes to an end. Victory at Daytona means that the driver is eligible for playoffs, and will hope to build on the momentum with a strong result at Darlington Raceway. To say that Harrison Burton is racing for his future wouldn’t be an understatement, and when playoffs begin at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the 23-year-old will be pushing the pedal and giving it his all. Would he dare to dream of lifting a potential Cup Series title at Phoenix Raceway? Maybe not yet, but every good result from now until the end of the season could reinforce his belief.

What are your thoughts about Harrison Burton’s future in the Cup Series? Let us know in the comments!