Chaotic End to Coke Zero Sugar 400 Manifests Several Feel-Good Underdog Storylines
For many years, NASCAR teams have looked at superspeedway events (at Daytona, Talladega, and now Atlanta) as opportunity races. With the draft acting as an equalizer, teams not capable of winning races on a weekly basis are often able to be in the mix and fight for race wins and much-needed solid finishes.
Michael McDowell and Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. won back-to-back Daytona 500s in 2021 and 2022 with Front Row Motorsports and JTG Daugherty Racing, Aric Almirola and Richard Petty Motorsports won the 2014 Coke Zero Sugar 400, David Ragan the 2013 Aarons 499, and the list goes on and on.
Following Saturday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona, Harrison Burton can be added to this list, capturing his first career victory in the NASCAR Cup Series, and the 100th for the historic Wood Brothers Racing organization.
It was an emotional victory for Harrison, and the entire Burton family, as his father Jeff Burton was calling the event from the NBC Sports broadcast booth, creating a special moment like the 1993 Daytona 500, when Ned Jarrett called Dale Jarrett home to the victory.
“I don’t know. I cried for the whole cooldown lap. It’s just been the hardest three years of my life. There’s no denying. It’s just been rough, and these guys have rallied behind me when it matters the most. Going to every single race with the same mentality of trying to win because we could get No. 100.”
- Harrison Burton
Burton was pushed to the victory by Parker Retzlaff, a NASCAR Xfinity Series regular making his second start in the NASCAR Cup Series, driving for part-time team Beard Motorsports in the No. 62 Chevrolet.
As the field rounded the final corner, Retzlaff was bodied into the third lane by Christopher Bell, and began falling back before further contact from Ty Gibbs sent the No. 62 up into the outside wall. The 21-year-old driver kept control of his racecar and managed to finish seventh.
“I’m happy with a top-10 finish,” Retzlaff said post-race. “I came in here today saying I wanted a top-15. Coming out of turn four there, knowing I was third or maybe fourth to [Christopher Bell], I knew I had a shot. I’m happy we gave this team a shot. We had an amazing car.”
“It’s just been my dream to be here in the Cup Series at Daytona. It was my first one and I feel like I gave myself a shot. Coming so close and not getting it just hurts a little bit.”
- Parker Retzlaff
As the field scrambled off the fourth corner coming to the checkered flag, Cody Ware, driving the No. 15 Ford Mustang Dark Horse for Rick Ware Racing, finished in fourth, recording his first-ever top-five in the NASCAR Cup Series while matching the best-ever finish for the organization.
For Ware, who has only run a handful of NASCAR Cup Series events this season, a top-five result at any racetrack, let alone such a historic venue like Daytona International Speedway is a confidence boost, and a dream come true.
“You never know what to expect, but Justin [Haley] has shown a lot of pace throughout the year in the No. 51 car, but to able to capitalize and also have that in the No. 15 car is really a dream come true,” Ware said after the race.
With the No. 15’s fourth place run on Saturday, each of the 36 chartered entries in the NASCAR Cup Series has finished inside the top-10 at least once this year, something that in the history of the charter system has only happened once before (2022).
With a P4 at @DAYTONA for Cody Ware and @RickWareRacing's #15, all 36 chartered entries have earned top-10s in the #NASCAR Cup Series.
— Joseph Srigley (@joe_srigley) August 26, 2024
It's the second time it's occurred in the charters era and the earliest in the year it's been achieved.#SrigleyStats ft. @RacingAmerica pic.twitter.com/MEUbGaixfl
Spire Motorsports teammates Carson Hocevar and Zane Smith finished just outside the top-10 on Saturday, bringing home 11th and 13th-place results, respectively.
Hocevar has been on an incredible run in the NASCAR Cup Series as of late, recording four consecutive finishes inside the top-12 (including top-10s at Richmond and Michigan) and 10 top-20 results in his last 11 starts. Smith has also found some success as of late, picking up seven top-20s in his last 10 starts, including a runner-up finish at Nashville and a seventh-place result at Michigan.
In 19th and 20th, BJ McLeod and Joey Gase put together strong results for part-time NASCAR Cup Series teams Live Fast Motorsports and NY Racing. Gase, making his first start at NASCAR's top-level in three years, matched the best-ever finish for NY, Racing which fields the No. 44 Chevrolet.
Next up for the NASCAR Cup Series is a trip to Darlington Raceway, one of the toughest tracks on the circuit and home to one of NASCAR's closest finishes, which included underdog Ricky Craven and youngster Kurt Busch.
JOSEPH SRIGLEY