Harrison Burton and the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing team are able to mechanically repair their race car and return to Saturday’s NASCAR Cup Series Bass Pro Shops Night Race at Bristol, but their Playoff advancement hopes are finished — barring some sort of insane turn of events.
Burton, who entered the night as the last driver in the 16-driver Playoff grid, took his No. 21 car behind the wall on Lap 235 after suffering an issue with the power steering system in his Ford Mustang Dark Horse.
Harrison Burton to the garage with power steering issues.
He will not advance in the #NASCARPlayoffs. pic.twitter.com/X1Z8EHjSz7
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) September 22, 2024
At the mid-way point of the race, Burton is scored in the 37th position, and he is the only driver in the field that is not currently on the racetrack.
Burton came into the night 20 points below the Playoff cutline, and as they run at the end of Stage 2, he sits 52 points below the cutline.
The Wood Brothers Racing team and Burton suffered through a miserable 2024 NASCAR Cup Series regular season, which saw the driver of the No. 21 car ranked lowest of all full-time drivers. However, Burton was able to surge to the lead on an overtime finish in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway and held off Kyle Busch for the race win.
By way of the win, Burton secured his place in the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs. Heading into the round, the driver, who picked up the 100th win for the legendary Wood Brothers Racing team was hoping to surprise by making it through the Round of 16 in his final season with the team.
Unfortunately, a mechanical failure will likely end those hopes.
Burton announced on Friday that he will pilot the No. 15 Ford Mustang for AM Racing in the NASCAR Xfinity Series in 2025. Burton has been a full-time NASCAR Cup Series driver for Wood Brothers Racing since the 2022 season.
While Burton will likely not advance to the Round of 12 of the NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs, Christopher Bell was able to secure his advancement into the Round of 12 at the conclusion of the opening Stage, and Alex Bowman officially secured his Round of 12 advancement at the conclusion of Stage 2.
