The 2024 NASCAR regular season ended with a bang, and boy, did it throw some curveballs. As the tension hit fever pitch, the scramble for the last remaining Playoff spots was on full display, with drivers pulling out all the stops to keep their championship hopes alive. Austin Dillon’s disqualification cracked the door wide open, and two drivers took full advantage: Chase Briscoe from Stewart-Haas Racing and Harrison Burton from Wood Brothers Racing.

Briscoe’s Playoff berth? Not exactly shocking. The #14 driver has been here before, and with a win in 2022 under his belt, he had the experience and a fighting chance. But Harrison Burton? Now, *that* was a surprise no one saw coming. Sitting near rock bottom in the championship standings, Burton wasn’t on anyone’s Playoff radar. Yet, in a season where the unexpected has become the norm, the #21 driver pulled off the impossible, claiming his first-ever Cup Series win and clinching a coveted Playoff spot.

Whether you think he deserves it or not, the fact is Burton’s now in the Playoffs, and the heat is on. As a first-timer, he’s stepping into the big leagues with no illusions—he knows he’s a long shot for the 2024 Cup title. But let’s not forget, every underdog has its day. For Burton, this is his chance to go deeper than anyone expected, secure a career-best finish, and maybe even lock in a stronger ride for 2025.

The pressure’s mounting, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. Can Burton defy the odds and make a statement? Or will the Playoff grind chew him up and spit him out? Only time will tell, but one thing’s for sure—he’s not here just to fill a spot.

Does Harrison Burton stand a chance in the Playoffs?

Truthfully, Wood Brothers Racing has not been a strong contender for a win, let alone a championship. However, the last few regular season races have proven that NASCAR can be unpredictable. For the moment, Harrison Burton has to just ensure that he escapes the opening round of elimination. The #21 driver has three races to do so, and the competition will be stiff, with a lot of talented drivers in the running.

He told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, “You’ve seen it with Joey and Ryan, once you get into the Playoffs. All of a sudden that gear flips and they start going really fast and that takes everyone, driver, team, everyone at that shop. Obviously with the Wood Brothers, we’re still on our own little program, but we have their alliance help. So it’s this little belief, now all of a sudden we’re going to get rolling. Our team that’s behind us, is gonna get going. I feel like I can do that as a driver and we’re just ready to go see what we can do.”

In essence, the 23-year-old is just aiming to do the best he can. If advancing into the next Playoff round is in his destiny, it will happen, and if not, then there is no big deal. Of course, he and Wood Brothers Racing will work hard together, to try and reach as high a position as possible.

How will the Wood Brothers Racing driver tackle the Playoff stage?

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Burton recently admitted that he spoke to his father Jeff, for advice. As a 21-time race winner, he would probably know a thing or two about fighting for a championship. After all, he did finish in 3rd place in 2000, and enjoyed a stretch of being in the Top 5 for four consecutive seasons. Naturally, his son wanted to exploit every fount of knowledge possible.

Harrison Burton admitted, “It’s gonna be hard. I think for him, it’s just execute every race the best you can. Let the chips fall where they may and take it one week at a time and you never know.” Again, he is referring to the unpredictable nature of NASCAR, which was proven with his and Briscoe’s Cup wins.

So the plan will most likely be to try and stay out of the elimination zone as each race passes. Compared to the other teams like Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing, Wood Brothers is not as quick. Owing to that, the road ahead will be paved with difficulty.