Jeff Burton describes calling first NASCAR win of son, Harrison Burton at Daytona for NBC
Jeff Burton had the assignment of calling Saturday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona from the NBC Sports announce booth.
Sure, typically you would expect broadcasters to remain impartial, but Jeff Burton couldn’t have possibly imagined the scene coming off Turn 4 of the final lap. His son, Harrison Burton, was leading the field coming to the start-finish line, needing only to fend off Kyle Busch to score his first career Cup Series victory.
At that point, Jeff Burton went into “dad mode,” rooting on his son from the booth.
“Coming off of [Turn] 2, I said to myself, ‘One of these things is gonna happen: Either Kyle is gonna make a massive block and it’s gonna be a hell of a wreck, or the 21 is gonna win the race.’ You could see the momentum,” Jeff Burton said, via Claire B. Lang. “Kyle did the right thing because had he made that block — he gave himself a chance by not making the block. But then they’re banging into each other off of [Turn] 4, and I saw him below the white and I knew he was in front and got pushed down there. I wasn’t worried about that call.”
Harrison Burton perfectly executed his blocks on Busch to win at Daytona and clinch a spot in the playoffs. Jeff Burton let out a first pump in the booth before heading down to celebrate with his son on the track and later in Victory Lane.
Harrison Burton joined by dad Jeff Burton in Victory Lane at Daytona
It was a heartfelt moment for the Burton family, as well as Wood Brothers Racing. Burton’s victory was WBR’s landmark 100th in the Cup Series, a nice parting gift for the team which announced earlier this summer that Harrison Burton won’t return in 2025.
As for Jeff Burton, he didn’t have any concerns of showing emotion as his son took the checkered flag.
“I’ve done this long enough and this is the fifth year I’ve called his races,” he said. “A hell of a lot more times he hasn’t won than he has, so you certainly don’t start thinking well this is the night. I’m just not that kind of person. But there’s a moment where yeah, I did turn into dad and look, the people I work for — they’re very family related and it’s OK for me to turn into dad. I’m uncomfortable turning into dad on air, but off air I’ll show myself and they don’t mind me doing that.”