Harrison Burton and the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane team had an impressive Cook Out Southern 500 run come to a premature end as he was collected in a crash with just 49 of 367 laps remaining.
Burton, who had worked his way from a 32nd-place start to 12th place, saw his race come to an end when Alex Bowman and Daniel Suarez wrecked ahead of him just after a restart. Burton, running just behind the battling duo, slid into Suarez’s car, seriously damaging the No. 21 Mustang. Unable to continue, he was relegated to a 35th-place finish.
Burton said there was nothing he could do to avoid getting collected.
“By the time I saw [Suarez] coming down, he was in my lap,” Burton told reporters after being checked at the track’s care center.
The incident ended a remarkable comeback that saw Burton and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team, now being led by crew chief Jeremy Bullins, regain a lost lap and move to just outside the top 10 as the laps wound down in the Labor Day weekend marathon.
The first Stage of the race ran without a caution other than the yellow flag at the end of that segment. The No. 21 Mustang was scored in 26th place, but one lap down at the end of the Stage.
The second Stage saw the team utilize the wave around during a caution period in the closing laps of that segment to rejoin the lead lap.
Burton wound up 21st at the end of the second Stage and continued the march forward in the third and final segment of the race until the crash ended his run.
“It was really unfortunate,” he said. “I felt like we had a pretty good day going. We qualified poorly, and were digging ourselves out of that hole all day.
“We finally got into the top 15 and felt like we could race there for the rest of the race and got caught up.”
Burton also said he appreciated the efforts of his Motorcraft/Quick Lane teammates.
“It was a really long, hard-fought race for us to get up to where we were,” he said. “I was proud of that effort. We will move on and be better next time.”
Burton and the Wood Brothers team now begin preparing for Sunday’s Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.
About Motorcraft®
Motorcraft offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to underhood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer value with high quality and the right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford Dealers and Lincoln Retailers, independent distributors and automotive-parts retailers, and are backed by the Service Parts Limited Warranty* of Ford Motor Company. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.
*See your dealer for limited-warranty details.
About Omnicraft®
Omnicraft is part of the Ford lineup of parts brands: Ford Parts, Motorcraft and Omnicraft. Omnicraft is the exclusive non-Ford/Lincoln parts brand of premium aftermarket parts. With over a century of parts heritage to build upon, Omnicraft provides excellent quality and fit and is a preferred choice of professional automotive technicians. To find out more about Omnicraft, visit www.omnicraftautoparts.com or contact your local Ford or Lincoln Dealership.
*See your dealer for limited-warranty details.
About Quick Lane® Tire & Auto Center
Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers extraordinary service for routine maintenance, serving all vehicle makes and models. Quick Lane provides a full menu of automotive services, including tires, oil change and maintenance, brakes, batteries, alternator and electrical system, air conditioning system, cooling system, transmission service, suspension and steering, wheel alignment, belts and hoses, lamps and bulbs and wiper blades plus a thorough vehicle checkup report. Service is performed by expert technicians while you wait at any of nearly 800 locations in the U.S., with evening and weekend hours available and no appointment necessary. For more information about Quick Lane, please visit www.quicklane.com.
*See your dealer for limited-warranty details.
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan, that is committed to helping build a better world, where every person is free to move and pursue their dreams. The company’s Ford+ plan for growth and value creation combines existing strengths, new capabilities and always-on relationships with customers to enrich experiences for and deepen the loyalty of those customers. Ford develops and delivers innovative, must-have Ford trucks, sport utility vehicles, commercial vans and cars and Lincoln luxury vehicles, as well as connected services. Additionally, Ford is establishing leadership positions in mobility solutions, including self-driving technology, and provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. Ford employs about 176,000 people worldwide. More information about the company, its products and Ford Credit is available at corporate.ford.com.
*See seller for limited-warranty details.
Wood Brothers Racing
Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glenn Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glenn’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Harrison Burton in the famous No. 21 racer.
