Burton Finishes 11th in Eventful ‘Dega Debut

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In: NASCAR Truck Series News
Harrison Burton had an eventful race in his first start in any series at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. Burton started third, but brought out the first caution of the event when things in front of him got bottled up on lap 10 and he spun while trying to avoid making contact with another competitor.
 
The talented teenager was able to avoid contact with the wall, but flat spotted all four tires and was forced to limp back to pit road. After getting four fresh tires on the Safelite Tundra, he returned to the track one lap down. When Stage One ended Burton received the Lucky Dog and would spend most of the remainder of the race running inside the top five.
 
Burton would get caught up in the “Big One” with seven laps remaining when Ross Chastain made an aggressive move while leading and clipped Grant Enfinger, who was directly in front of Burton. Once again, Burton was forced to pit road for four fresh tires and repairs to the nose and left side of the No. 18 Toyota.
 
The Safelite Tundra would restart 14th when the field took the green with three laps to go, but rocketed up the middle lane and one lap later when the caution flew was in the fourth spot. Burton was scored third when the field took the white flag, but got shuffled back on the final lap and crossed the stripe 11th.
 
Stage One Recap: 
  • Burton earned the third starting position in Saturday morning’s qualifying session.
  • The 19-year-old rookie experienced his first setback of the event after spinning on lap 10.
  • After bringing his Tundra to the attention of his pit crew, Burton restarted one lap down in the 30th position.
  • At the completion of Stage One, he was awarded the Lucky Dog and returned to the lead lap. 
Stage Two Recap:  
  • The Safelite Tundra visited pit road for four fresh tires and a full load of fuel between stages. Burton was scored in the 30th position when Stage Two went green on lap 26.
  • After the third caution of the event occurred on lap 30, crew chief Mike Hillman Jr. summoned his driver to pit road for a fuel-only stop.
  • Burton took the lap-34 restart from the 22nd position, but over the final six laps of the stage was able to maneuver his way up to 12th. 
Final Stage Recap:  
  • The Safelite Tundra visited pit road between stages to top off with fuel and Burton returned to the track scored in the third position when the Final Stage went green on lap 47.
  • On lap 67, Hillman Jr. was inside his pit window and ordered up another fuel-only stop.
  • On lap 74, when pit stops had cycled through, the Safelite Tundra was scored in the third position, one of just 14 trucks on the lead lap.
  • Burton was running third, one of nine trucks that had broke away from the second pack, when a one-truck spin brought out the caution for the fifth time in the event.
  • Shortly after the ensuing restart, Chastain tried blocking Sheldon Creed and caused a 10-truck accident that included Burton.
  • After a visit to pit road for minor damage repair and four fresh tires, Burton lined up 14th for the restart with three laps remaining.
  • After catapulting up the middle, the No. 18 Toyota was scored in the fourth spot when another caution occurred just before the field took the white flag and set up NASCAR overtime.
  • Burton was scored third when the field took the white flag, but got shuffled back on the final lap and crossed the stripe 11th. 

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