By Seth Eggert, NASCAR Writer
Martinsville Speedway in recent years has welcomed many drivers looking to make their debut in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Saturday’s Texas Roadhouse 200 presented by Alpha Energy Solutions will be no different as at least six drivers plan to attempt their debut. One of those drivers is 16-year-old Harrison Burton.
Harrison Burton is the son of former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver and NBC Sports analyst Jeff Burton. Harrison Burton will be behind the wheel of the No. 18 DEX Imaging Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports.
Entering Martinsville, Burton’s experience has primarily been on short tracks.
In 2014, Burton became the youngest Division I winner in the history of the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series when he took the checkered flag at New Smyrna Speedway. He also made history at All American Raceway in 2015 when he became the youngest driver to start a NASCAR K&N Pro West Series race at the age of 15-years, eight days old.
This year, Burton has won three Super Late Model races. He also competed full-time in the NASCAR K&N Pro East Series. In 14 starts, Burton finished seventh in the standings, scored one pole, one top five, and five Top 10s.
Burton also made his ARCA Racing Series debut in 2016 at Iowa Speedway. After starting sixth, he finished third.
Should Burton make the field for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, he would become the second youngest driver to make their debut in series history at 16-years, 20 days old.
Casey Atwood holds the record for the youngest driver ever to start a Truck Series race at 16-years, six days old. Atwood set the record in 1996 at Nashville Speedway, when he started 25th, but was caught in an early crash just four laps into the race and finished 32nd.
Burton was looking forward to his Truck Series debut.
“I’m really excited about making my first Truck Series start at Martinsville. This is a huge opportunity with a great team like Kyle Busch Motorsports. I’ve raced in a lot of big races during my young career and I will look to that experience to help me make this transition.”
Burton also explained his expectations for the race.
“Obviously, everyone wants to go out and win, but I think if I can have a good qualifying result, have good restarts and keep the fenders on my DEX Imaging Tundra through the whole race, I can be in good position with 20 to go and then anything can happen. My focus is learning the truck, the track and the guys I am racing with and then applying that as the race comes to the finish.”
Burton will now look ahead to qualifying where he will need to qualify on time in order to make his Truck Series debut.
