Burton Comes from the Back to Finish Seventh at ISM Raceway

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In: NASCAR Truck Series News
After pacing final practice, Harrison Burton and the No. 18 Safelite AutoGlass team had high hopes for Friday night’s Lucas Oil 150 at ISM Raceway. Unfortunately, Burton had an issue with the power shutting off during his qualifying lap and would have to start the race from the back of the field.
 
In the early stages, Burton made his way to the top 20 and then crew chief would use pit strategy in the middle of Stage One to improve the track position for his young driver in the later stages. After getting four fresh tires under caution on lap 25, the No. 18 team set themselves up to start Stage Two inside the top five and would run inside the top 10 for the remainder of the event.
 
At the end of 150 laps, Burton would cross the stripe in the seventh position. The top-10 result was his 11th of 2019.
 
Stage One Recap: 
  • After failing to complete a lap in qualifying, Burton started at the rear of the 32-truck field. By the time his KBM teammate Brandon Jones spun and brought out the first caution of the race on lap two, the No. 18 Toyota had advanced to the 22nd position.
  • When the second caution of the race occurred on lap 24, the second-generation driver was scored in the 19th spot.
  • Veteran crew chief Mike Hillman Jr. elected to bring his young driver down pit road for four fresh tires, a full load of fuel and made a trackbar adjustment to improve the handling of the Safelite Tundra.
  • Burton was scored in the 25th position for the lap-28 restart and over the final 17 laps of the stage would make his way up to 15th. 
Stage Two Recap:  
  • Having already pitted for four fresh tires in the middle of Stage One, Burton remained on track between stages and when Stage Two went green on lap 53 was scored in the third position.
  • Stage Two would proceed start to finish under green, with the rookie driver falling back to fifth to complete the stage as he reported that his Tundra was “tight off four.” 
Final Stage Recap: 
  • Hillman Jr. summoned his driver to pit road between stages for a four-tire and fuel stop with a chassis adjustment.
  • With teams on varying pit strategies, Burton was scored in the 10th position when the Final Stage went green on lap 99.
  • Burton continued to battle a tight-handling Tundra throughout the remainder of the race and would cross the stripe in the seventh position. 

KBM PR

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