NASCAR playoff standings updated after Harrison Burton's win at Daytona
The NASCAR Cup Series playoff standings have been updated after Harrison Burton won the Coke Zero Sugar 400. Burton is the 13th driver to win a Cup Series race this year, which means 13 drivers have clinched a spot in postseason racing. If the playoffs began today, Martin Truex Jr., Ty Gibbs and Chris Buescher would be the last three in. The first three out are Bubba Wallace, Ross Chastain and Kyle Busch.
Burton clinching a playoff spot is huge for him as he’s in his final year driving for Wood Brothers racing. The Daytona victory is the first Cup Series win of young career and will be competing in the playoffs for the first time.
“I cried the whole victory lap. Obviously got fired from this job,” Burton told NBC Sports after the race. “I wanted to do everything for the Wood Brothers that I could. They’ve given me an amazing opportunity in life. 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.
Burton added, “It’s amazing. It’s been the hardest three years of my life, obviously the hardest three years for some of these guys’ lives. To win the way we just did, beat the best in the business, Kyle Busch, across the line, it’s pretty fantastic. “I made a bet with Jeremy, my crew chief, that if we won, we’re staying here and driving home. We’ll be at a bar somewhere. Come find us (laughter). We’re going to celebrate this one.”
How Kyle Busch can climb up the NASCAR playoff standings
While Burton is celebrating his win and playoff berth, Kyle Busch is wondering what could have been. Busch was leading the Daytona Cup Series race during the final lap before Burton got a late push for the win. With next week’s race being the final one of the year, Busch has to win to clinch a playoff spot.
“It’s all good. We were really, really, really lucky tonight to miss a few of them crashes. All good. Just real proud of everybody, Randall, all the guys at RCR, ECR did a great job, brought a fast car. Was hoping we could get those three No. 8 specials on Monday, get some chicken tenders rolling, but wasn’t meant to be,” Busch said. “We’ll take this. Got a good little stretch going with these last three weeks, and hope we can do what we need to do next week.”