MARTINSVILLE, Va.: The NASCAR Xfinity Series returned to Martinsville last season after a 14-year hiatus, with Harrison Burton taking the victory.
Given the gap between races, it’s not surprising that Burton is the only former Martinsville winner in the field for Friday night’s Cook Out 250 (8 p.m. ET on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Burton’s father, South Boston, Va., native Jeff Burton, won an Xfinity Series race at Martinsville in 1990 and a NASCAR Cup Series event there seven years later. Ward Burton, Harrison’s uncle, triumphed in the Xfinity Series at the .526-mile track in 1993.
That leaves Jeb Burton, Ward’s son, seeking his first victory at the legendary short track. Driving full-time for Kaulig Racing, Jeb started the 2021 season with five straight top-10 finishes (three of them top fives) before running 25th at Atlanta.
“I’m really excited about going to Martinsville,” Jeb Burton said. “I’ve always run really well there, and the last time I was there in the Xfinity Series, I finished fourth. It’s a hometown track for me… I think we will have a really good run this weekend.”
But it’s Harrison Burton who will start on the pole on Friday night, with Jeb taking the green flag from the 13th spot on the grid in the first Xfinity Dash 4 Cash event of the season. Harrison Burton, Justin Allgaier, Noah Gragson and AJ Allmendinger are the four drivers eligible for the $100,000 Dash 4 Cash bonus that goes to the top finisher among them.
“Martinsville is a special place for me and my family,” Harrison Burton said. “It’s one of my home race tracks, I would say, so it’s always a great place to go and race. My family is from the area and the fans there are great, so it’s always a special weekend for me.
“We have a little extra incentive on Friday night with the Dash 4 Cash event going on. I know my Joe Gibbs Racing team is ready, and I’m looking forward to going out there, putting on a good show for the fans and hopefully coming back home with some cash and another grandfather clock.”
Source: Reid Spencer / NASCAR Wire Service
