[autotag]Harrison Burton[/autotag]’s start to the 2024 NASCAR Cup Series season has not gone well. Through eight races, Burton sits 34th in the point standings, only five points above Zane Smith, the last full-time driver in the standings. This has been a disastrous start as the driver of the No. 21 car’s average finishing position has dropped by five spots compared to last year.
What happens next is simple. Burton must find speed with Wood Brothers Racing, or his future with the organization will be seriously doubtful. The 23-year-old driver only has one top-25 finish, with sixth finishes of 30th or worse. Most of these races have been due to poor speed, which is typically unusual for Wood Brothers Racing when looking into the past.
Burton hasn’t adapted well to the NextGen car, and if the trends continue, he will be regressing for a third straight year. Typically, drivers who near their 100th Cup Series start to improve, but Burton has gone in the opposite direction. The new Ford body could be a reason behind such a decline, but the performance needs to improve.
There will be further questions if Burton stays in 34th place in the point standings. After almost making the playoffs with Matt DiBenedetto in his final year, Wood Brothers Racing expects more out of its No. 21 car. Burton has the talent to make that happen, but he needs to figure out how to finish in the top 20 spots consistently.
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