After an exciting race on dirt, Harrison Burton, driver of the No. 51 Hunt Brothers Pizza Toyota Tundra finished 15th in Wednesday night’s fifth annual Eldora Dirt Derby at Eldora Speedway. It was a night of learning for the rookie as it was his dirt-racing debut, but his fourth start for Kyle Busch Motorsports (KBM) in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) 2017 season.
Date: July 19, 2017
Event: Eldora Dirt Derby (Race 11 of 23)
Series: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Location: Eldora Speedway in Rossburg (half-mile oval)
Format: Three Stages; 40 laps/50 laps/60 laps
Start/Finish: 23rd/15th (Running, completed 150 of 150 laps)
Winner: Matt Crafton of ThorSport (Toyota)
- After qualifying 13th and finishing fifth in his heat race, Burton took the green flag at Eldora from the 23rd position. When the race began the 16-year-old used the beginning laps to learn the track and learn how his truck raced on the dirt surface that he was unfamiliar with. When the first caution of the night came out on Lap 4, Burton stopped on pit road to clean his windshield from the muddy track. Halfway through the stage, he was caught up in a spin and had to make another trip to pit road for the team to assess the No. 51 Hunt Brothers Pizza Toyota. When Stage One ended, Burton was scored 18th.
- Burton started his No. 51 Toyota Tundra from the 24th position at the start of Stage Two. The rookie started to find his groove on the dirt and slowly picked up positions through the field. Throughout the stage, Burton battled with dirt-veteran and fellow teammate Christopher Bell for positions. Burton was running 14th when the caution flag flew to end the second stage of the race on Lap 90.
- After the No. 51 Toyota Racing team started Stage Three by not making a trip to pit road when many trucks ahead of them in the field did, Burton took the green flag from the fifth position. On the restart Burton got shuffled in the pack of eager drivers and when the caution came out on Lap 118 he was in the 16th position. For the rest of the stage, Burton minded his own business on the track and stayed out of trouble until the checkered flag flew. When he crossed the finish line, Burton finished his first dirt race 15th.
Harrison Burton, driver of the No. 51 Hunt Brothers Pizza Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports:
Harrison Burton, driver of the No. 51 Hunt Brothers Pizza Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports:Eldora Dirt Derby Recap:
- Matt Crafton won the race followed by Stewart Friesen, Chase Briscoe, Grant Enfinger and John Hunter Nemechek rounded out the top-five finishers.
- The race featured 10 cautions for a total of 59 laps. There were seven lead changes among four drivers.
How Burton’s KBM Teammates Fared:
- Noah Gragson, driver of the No. 18 Toyota, finished seventh
- Christopher Bell, driver of the No. 4 Toyota, finished ninth
NCWTS Owner Championship Standings:
The No. 51 Toyota Racing team is now eighth in the Truck Series Owner Championship Standings.
Next Race:
Owner-driver Kyle Busch will pilot the No. 51 Toyota Tundra when the Truck Series returns on Saturday, July 29, at Pocono Raceway. Live coverage begins with the NCWTS Setup Show at 12:30 p.m. ET on Fox Sports 1.
