"This could all fall apart tomorrow" - Harrison Burton discusses NASCAR future following Wood Brothers exit

After edging out Kyle Busch for a close win at Daytona, Harrison Burton is unsure about his future on the track. He expressed his gratitude to Wood Brothers Racing for the opportunity to drive for them this season. The man behind the #21 wheel also said he views racing as a privilege and is eager to keep at it, whether it's in Xfinity, the Cup series, or the Late Model circuit.

Starting next year, Josh Berry will be taking over the #21 car, leaving Burton’s future uncertain. During his post-race interview, Burton touched on this, saying:

"You never know when you have a chance to drive again. This could all fall apart tomorrow. This is such a privilege to do every weekend. even if you run in the truck series or the Xfinity series or late models, it's just such a privilege to get to drive a race car.

And I get the privilege to drive the number #21 for Wood Brothers Racing. That to me is all you need. I've had a chance to do that for three years to work with these guys for three years, learn all I can."

Harrison Burton last got a NASCAR victory in 2020 at Martinsville, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing in the Xfinity Series. The 23-year-old has been with Wood Brothers Racing since 2022, driving the #21 Ford Mustang in the NASCAR Cup Series. Burton's Coke Zero Sugar 400 win was not only his first for WBR but also their 100th overall triumph.

The victory was a huge deal for the driver as it marked the first win of his Cup career.

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Harrison Burton gets emotional on the victory lap

Even though he won't be with the team next year, Harrison Burton was visibly emotional after winning the 100th race for the team. In his post-race interview, the #21 driver said:

"I cried the whole victory lap. Obviously got fired from this job. 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." [via NBC Sports]

He admitted that the last three years have been the toughest of his life. Burton also mentioned how thrilled he was to outpace the best in the business—Kyle Busch—to secure his first Cup career win.

With just one race left before the playoffs and Burton making the cut, the Wood Brothers Racing driver is currently ranked 34th with 306 points, including one top-5 and two top-10 finishes. The next race is on the calendar at Darlington where he has an average finish of 19.6, his best being 6th place back in 2023.