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Harrison Burton Chases After Strong Charlotte Showing

Harrison Burton pursues another top 10 result in as many weeks after a strong Darlington performance. (Photo: Trish McCormack | The Podium Finish)

Harrison Burton pursues another top 10 result in as many weeks after a strong Darlington performance. (Photo: Trish McCormack | The Podium Finish)

CONCORD, N.C. – Following a frustrating start to the season, Harrison Burton righted the ship with a sixth place result at Darlington Raceway two weeks ago.

Despite being ranked 30th in the championship standings, all it takes is a win to have a fighting chance at the Playoffs.

Given how Sunday night’s Coca-Cola 600 is a crown jewel event that plays out like the NASCAR Cup Series’ version of an endurance race, a clean, smooth start to the 400-lap, four stages squabble may be in the offing for the No. 21 DEX Imaging Ford Mustang team.

Through the Wood Brothers Racing team’s history in this event, the organization has started in 120 races, won six times, logged 24 top fives and scored 39 top results with an average finish of 14.3.

While it has been over 36 years since the famed team won the Coca-Cola 600 with Kyle Petty, Burton hopes to add to the No. 21’s success at Charlotte with his maiden Cup victory.

Last year, Burton showcased poise and patience after starting 17th and placing 11th, one of the five top 15 finishes he earned in his rookie season.

Although his showing was quite remarkable at the 1.5-mile speedway, it was a grueling event for the young racer, particularly with the race length and conditions.

“That was the first race I ever got hungry,” Burton said in a Ford Performance press release. “That was the one thing I noticed. I didn’t really think it would be that different, to be honest. I always heard that it was tough and it’s long.”

Harrison Burton’s No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing team hopes for a Sunday night battle at Charlotte. (Photo: Mitchell Richtmyre | The Podium Finish)

For those who have driven long distance, even in the best physical condition, that snug driver’s seat can lose its comfort after a while in the car. As Burton can attest, it was more than his appetite that was put to the test.

“That was also the worst my back has ever hurt the day after,” he said. “I found some things that didn’t fit as good as I wanted in my seat, so that and getting hungry were firsts for me last year.”

Safe to say, Burton, crew chief Brian Wilson and the rest of the No. 21 team have worked on the creature comforts of the driver’s compartment ahead of Sunday night’s 600. As the late Marvin Gaye and Kim Weston famously sang in 1965, “It Takes Two” in terms of the comfort and driver’s confidence being in unison for a great race day.

While rain canceled practice and qualifying on Saturday evening, Burton starts 13th due to the metric qualifying procedure which considers a driver’s performance and rating, among others, in their prior race. Thanks to a strong showing in the Goodyear 400 at Darlington, Burton and his team are reaping the benefits of the total team effort.

Moreover, the 22-year-old racer is dedicated to elevating his craft and performance by taking to his physical fitness. After all, being in peak shape can make a difference in NASCAR’s longest race of the season.

“Just staying in the gym, being outside a lot,” Burton said. “Running has been a big thing that I really don’t love doing, but something I’ve been doing quite a bit of. So, just getting back into the swing of that and staying in good shape. That’s kind of the foundation and the rest is hydration throughout the week.”

Rob Tiongson is a 30-something motorsports journalist who enjoys sports like baseball, basketball, football, soccer, track and field and hockey. A Boston native turned Austinite, racing was the first sport that caught his eyes. From interviews to retrospective articles, if it's about anything with an engine and four wheels, it'll be here on TPF, by him or by one of his talented columnists who have a passion for racing. Currently seeking a sports writing, public relations, or sports marketing career, particularly in motorsports. He enjoys editing and writing articles and features, as well as photography. Moreover, he enjoys time with his family and friends, traveling, cooking, working out and being a fun uncle or "funcle" to his nephew, niece and cat. Tiongson, a graduate of Southern New Hampshire University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, pursues his Master of Arts in Digital Journalism at St. Bonaventure University. Indeed, while Tiongson is proud to be from Massachusetts, he's an everywhere kind of man residing in Texas.

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