Harrison Burton Wins Stage and Equals Career-Best Finish at Pocono

By:
On:
In: NASCAR Truck Series News
Harrison Burton put together another solid outing in Saturday’s Gander RV 150 at Pocono Raceway, leading six laps, winning Stage Two and ending the day by equaling a career-best third-place finish. It was the sixth time across 29 career starts and the fourth time this season that the 18-year-old driver came home with a third-place finish and the fifth top-five finish over his last six Gander Trucks series starts.
 
Burton was able to maintain fifth in the driver point standings and with playoff contender Stewart Friesen wrecking on the first lap and finishing last, the driver of the No. 18 Toyota was able to move to within 13 points of Friesen for the eighth and final playoff spot with just two races remaining.
 
Stage One Recap:  
  • Burton started the 60-lap event from the sixth spot and remained there with seven laps remaining in the opening stage. He was able to move into the top five with six laps remaining and then before the segment was over maneuvered his way up to third.
  • He communicated to crew chief Mike Hillman Jr. that the Morton Buildings Tundra was “pretty good, just a little bit snug.” 
Stage Two Recap:  
  • With Friesen wrecking early in the race, the No. 18 team’s strategy changed from virtually a must-win situation to being able to still possibly make the playoffs on points. With points back in play, Hillman Jr. kept his young driver on the track between stages in an effort to gain stage points in Stage Two.
  • Stage Two went green on lap 19, and would be just 11 laps. Burton was scored in the third position for the start of the stage and quickly moved up to the second spot.
  • With three laps remaining in the stage, the leader, Ross Chastain made his way down pit road to set up track position for the Final Stage. Hillman Jr. elected to keep Burton on the track and he would go on to win Stage Two. 
Final Stage Recap:  
  • Burton brought the Morton Buildings Tundra to pit road between stages for four fresh tires, a full tank of fuel and a wedge adjustment.
  • With Chastain and several drivers electing to pit before the end of Stage Two, the No. 18 Toyota was scored in the ninth position when the Final Stage went green on lap 34.
  • The talented teenager began to methodically march forward with only 26 laps remaining in the event. He gained one spot by the time the field came back to the stripe and two laps later was scored in the seventh spot. On lap 38 he moved up to sixth, rejoined the top five on lap 42 and moved up to fourth with 15 laps remaining.
  • Burton was able to make his way around his KBM teammate, Christian Eckes, with five laps remaining, but with the Final Stage running caution free came up short of running down the top-two trucks. 

KBM PR

Speedway Digest Staff
Follow Me
Latest posts by Speedway Digest Staff (see all)
Post Views: 59