What Harrison Burton Just Did SHOCKS Everyone!

Daytona International Speedway Harrison Burton pulled off something truly Beyond insane the 23-year-old driver who had already lost his ride for next season clinched his first career NASCAR cup series victory in an overtime finish this wasn't just any win it was a ticket to the playoffs that no one saw coming as the race entered its final stages the tension was at an all-time high Kyle Bush a two-time Cup Series champion with 63 career wins seemed poised to take the checkered flag but Burton had other plans with a crucial push from Parker rlof on the final lap Burton surged to the front leaving bush in the rest of the field in his wake the young driver's emotional reaction was immediate and raw I cried the whole Victory lap Burton revealed in his postrace interview I obviously got fired from this job I wanted to do everything for the Wood Brothers that I could they've given me an amazing opportunity in life and to get them nowhere 100 on my way out is amazing we're in the playoffs now let's go to Darlington and see what happened S I don't know I cried the whole uh Victory lap uh obviously uh got fired from this job and uh I wanted to do everything uh for the Wood Brothers that I could theyve giving me an amazing opportunity in life and uh to get them 100 on my way out is amazing we're in the playoffs now let's go to Darlington and see what happens adding to the drama Burton's father former nasar car driver Jeff Burton called the race for NBC Sports the Elder Burton's voice cracked with emotion as he watched his son cross the finish line first Jeff Burton couldn't contain his excitement exclaiming what do you say Dad hell I can't talk this victory was Burton's first in 98 career Cup starts it also marked a significant milestone for Wood Brothers Racing as it was their 100th win as a team the final results saw Burton in first followed by Kyle Bush Christopher Bell Cody wear and Ty Gibbs rounding out the top five the implications of this win extend far beyond Just One race with Burton's unexpected Victory 13 drivers are now locked into the 16-man playoff field these drivers include Kyle lson Denny Hamlin Christopher Bell Tyler reick William Byron Ryan blay Chase Elliott Brad Keselowski Austin syndric Joey Logano Daniel Suarez Alex Bowman and now Harrison Burton five other winless drivers are left vying for the remaining spots as the regular season heads into its final week at Darlington these drivers are Martin Truex Jr Ty Gibbs Chris buer Bubba Wallace and Ross Chastain the race wasn't without its share of heart stopping moments Josh Barry's number four Ford flipped and slammed into an inside retaining wall while upside down and sliding on its roof Barry had to wait several minutes inside his car as safety Crews flipped the car over miraculously Barry emerged unharmed giving a thumbs up to the crowd after being rescued this incident occurred when Barry was leading the race with two laps to go and Austin syndric got turned sideways by Kyle bus slamming into Barry this wasn't the only scary moment of the race Michael mcdow's number 34 Ford also looked like it was headed for a flip just a few laps earlier syndric turned McDow sideways while bump Drafting and mcdow's car lifted off the ground after getting hit in the driver's side door by Joey loano fortunately mcdow's car stopped just short of flipping these incidents raised serious concerns about keeping cars on the ground Joey Lano summed up the sentiment saying we got to figure out how to keep cars on the ground we're not doing very well right now it's worth noting that this was the second time in less than a week that a cup car flipped following Cory lejoy wild ride at Michigan International Speedway on Monday other incidents included a 17 car melee in the second stage of the 160 lap race Noah gragson and Cory lejoy started this massive pileup with gragson hitting lejoy in the right side of his rear bumper sending Cory lejoy into the wall and in front of a bunch of other cars this Chain Reaction ended the night for gragson Cory lejoy Chase Elliot Denny Hamlin and Ryan priest another bizarre incident occurred on Pit Road when Daniel Suarez's number 999 Chevrolet had a literal meltdown Suarez's trunk caught fire following a pit stop a strange series series of events that ended his night after just 37 laps the fire started when Suarez and Denny Hamlin got stacked up behind Harrison Burton on Pit Road Hamlin's engine seemed to backfire while his exhaust hovered over spilled fuel sparking a fire that spread to the rear of Suarez's car Suarez commented on the incident saying just a bad deal I could feel heat in my back but I could not see it very unfortunate Kyle Bush who finished second reflected on the final moments besides just Flatout wrecking him there was nothing else I could do he added that happened so slow that Ray Charles could block that highlighting the Strategic challenges of the final laps Bush also credited luck for avoiding the numerous crashes throughout the race saying we did a lot of things right had a lot of luck on our side missing a lot of those wrecks which was really cool you know but uh early this year we we struggled mightily so uh we'll just have to go with hopefully a really good package that works and get our job done it'll be his last shot almost had it tonight at Daytona other drivers had mixed reactions to the race outcome Cody wear who who finished fourth achieved his career best finish saying I'm on cloud n right now God is so good to get me back on track and being out here racing at Daytona is such a phenomenal experience he added just can't say enough about Parts Plus Ponto Jacob company Arrowhead all the people on board that got this bullet up front today I'm on Cloud9 right now just um God is so so good to get me back on track and being out here racing to Daytona is such a phenomenal experience just can't say enough about Parts Plus Pronto Jacob company um Arrowhead all the people on board that got this this bullet up front today and uh just Ty Gibbs finishing fifth looked ahead to Darlington I think we have the speed to go win it I think it'd be cool to go win and get my first win at the southern 500 Gibbs also expressed gratitude for his team's performance saying thank you to the Ronald Reagan movie Ronald Reagan's PR proud to have on my car I'm a true American so this is really cool I think we have the speed to go win it so I think it' be cool to go win and get my first win at the sou 500 would be awesome day um thank you to the Ronald Reagan movie Ronald Reagan's PR proud to have on my car I'm a true American so this is really cool and Chris buer who finished 10th discussed his playoff chances we go into Darlington you know points being what they are yeah there's a little bit of cushion there but we know we were really good there last time bueser also praised the performance of his Ford stating our Fifth Third Bank Mustang was so good we were able to push unbelievably well and make a ton of speed not the day we needed but um yeah I mean we go into Darlington uh you know points being what they are yeah there's a little bit of cushion there but we know we really good there last time got away tonight at Daytona yeah our fif Third Bank Mustang was so good uh we're able to push unbelievably well and uh Bubba Wallace despite finishing sixth expressed disappointment it's unacceptable I'll take all that weight on my shoulders should have won multiple times this year and I haven't we don't deserve to be here and we are so I got to go win next week Wallace's frustration was palpable you got one car fighting for a regular season championship and another car right around a bubble it's unacceptable so I'll take all that weight on my shoulders should have won multiple times this year and I haven't so we don't deserve to be here and we are so I got to go win next week that's it Christopher Bell who came in third reflected on the final restart I'm bummed about it because obviously you want to push the leader out and have a shot to win yourself but I just never really felt in control Bell's comments highlight the challenges drivers face in the chaotic final laps of a super speedway race I don't know I mean just uh I'm bummed about it because obviously you want to you know push the leader out and have a shot to win yourself but I just never I never really felt think Parker redl's performance was particularly noteworthy in only his second Cup Series start he finished seventh and provided the crew cral push that put Burton in position to win redoff commented I just spent the first two stages trying to figure out the runs and you know just pushing in the back a little bit just trying to figure out how these cars push he added I feel like I just pushed him clear and knew that I needed to get myself clear into turn three if I wanted a shot yeah I mean I just spent the first two stages trying to figure out the runs and you know just pushing in the back a little bit just trying to figure out how these cars push and uh I feel like I just uh I pushed him clear and knew that I needed to get myself clear into a turn three if I wanted a shot and uh the race wasn't without controversy race control initially reviewed Burton's move below the double yellow line but ultimately confirmed him as the winner due to contact from Bush this decision added another layer of drama to an already Unforgettable night the rulle states that a driver cannot go below the double yellow line to advance their position but in this case the contact from Bush's car was deemed to have forced Burton below the line in his post-ra interview Kyle Bush provided insight into the challenges of the final laps you're wide open you're just doing everything you can you're relying on everything happening behind you and unfortunately the 20-some happened off of two where he got squirreled up and wasn't to my rear bumper yeah I mean you're wide open you're just doing everything you can you're relying on everything happening behind you and unfortunately the 20 something happened off of two where he got squired up and wasn't to my rear bumper and then the insanity of Burton's wi is further emphasized by the fact that he had already lost his ride in the famed number 21 Ford with Wood Brothers Racing for next season despite this setback Burton and his team refused to give up as Burton put it it's been the hardest three years of my life obviously the hardest three years for some of these guys' lives to win it the way we just did it to beat the best in the business Kyle Bush across the line it's pretty fantastic amazing um it's been the hardest three years of my life obviously the hardest three years for some of these guys lives and uh to win the wayn that we just did to beat the best in the business Kyle Bush across the line uh it's pretty fantastic so Burton's Victory also highlights the importance of teamwork in NASCAR the push from Parker red slap on the final lap was crucial in getting Burton to the front this collaboration between drivers even those from different teams is a unique aspect of Super Speedway racing that can lead to surprising results if you enjoyed the video make sure to like And subscribe to NASCAR Insider and share your insights in the comments below