Denny Hamlin Objects NASCAR’s ‘Hard to Swallow’ Stance That Earned Harrison Burton & Co “Millions of Dollars”
The Daytona Coke Zero Sugar 400 was an interesting race, with one of the most unexpected drivers snatching the win from Kyle Busch. Harrison Burton has not had one of the best years in his career, as he was fired recently from Wood Brothers Racing to look for a new team in 2025. As a parting gift, the driver managed to win his first race in the Cup Series, making the race WBR’s 100th victory since its inception.
There wouldn’t have been a better way for him to leave the team, as a spot in the playoffs helps him find prospects for next year. After the race, Burton spoke at the post-race interview, saying, “I don’t know; I cried the whole victory lap. Obviously, I got fired from this job, and I wanted to do everything for the Wood Brothers that I could do.” This victory gives him the security of finishing in the top 16, as even coming last in the playoffs will mean millions of dollars for the team. Hamlin speaks about Burton’s Daytona win and shares what he thinks the driver did for the team.
Denny Hamlin discusses Harrison Burton’s maiden Cup Series win
Denny Hamlin has voiced his concerns about how Harrison Burton’s recent win gave the Wood Brothers Racing team a huge, unexpected boost. Hamlin’s main issue is with the current NASCAR playoff format, which let Burton, who was struggling for most of the season, get into the playoffs just because he won one race. On the Actions Detrimental podcast, Hamlin explained how he feels this system isn’t fair because it rewards a single good race over consistent performance.
Jumping from the 34th spot to a confirmed top 16 is a huge financial gain for them, almost like a lucky break that came out of nowhere. Even though Hamlin acknowledged that Burton’s victory took skill and effort, he was frustrated with how the current playoff system works.
Denny Hamlin spoke about Burton’s position as he pointed out, “I’m not equating it to that, but I’m equating it to it going from, you know, they’re probably conceding that we’re going to be last, to all of a sudden, ‘Wow, we’re top 16, and now we’re guaranteed millions of dollars.’” The JGR driver complained that the playoff format favors those who can take advantage of a single big moment rather than rewarding steady, consistent performance throughout the season.
Denny Hamlin feels that while the ‘win-and-you’re-in’ approach adds excitement, it can sometimes feel unfair to drivers and teams who have performed well over the entire season but miss out because of the format. “I find that hard to swallow, but I know it’s the rules. So, it’s just up to us to win, right?” stated Hamlin as his driver, Bubba Wallace, got the wrong end of the stick of getting into the drop zone of the playoffs.
Why is Harrison Burton’s victory a flawed thing, per Hamlin?
Although Hamlin is in the playoffs, he knows that due to Harrison’s victory, his team 23XI Racing, will be suffering. Bubba Wallace has yet to get into the playoffs, and with the Darlington race being his last chance, Hamlin stated his thoughts on the playoff format. Bubba Wallace is -21 points from the cutoff, putting him in the drop zone.
The fact that the legendary Wood Brothers Racing achieved their 100th win is a reason to celebrate for all of NASCAR. Despite having his driver’s playoff spot hanging in the balance, he was happy for the win that made the playoffs just a little more unpredictable as Burton became a championship contender in his final season with the team.
Bubba Wallace
Unlike Bubba Wallace, Tyler Reddick, the other 23XI Racing driver, has secured a spot in the playoffs by winning 2 races this year. The team is looking to see where they stand in the championship once the playoffs begin.
That said, do you think that Bubba Wallace will make his way into the playoffs by securing a win at Darlington? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
The post Denny Hamlin Objects NASCAR’s ‘Hard to Swallow’ Stance That Earned Harrison Burton & Co “Millions of Dollars” appeared first on EssentiallySports.
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