Rookie Harrison Burton led only two laps of Saturday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series Hooters 250 at Homestead-Miami Speedway, but they were the only two laps that mattered.
Burton, after taking the lead on the final restart, briefly lost the lead on backstretch then made it three-wide off turn four coming to the white flag, and then passed both Noah Gragson and Austin Cindric to take the white and the win. For Burton, driver of the No. 20 DEX Imaging Toyota Supra for Joe Gibbs Racing, it marked his second victory of the season and his seventh top-five finish in nine races this year.
Burton edged Cindric by a mere 0.179 seconds to become the youngest Xfinity Series winner at Homestead-Miami Speedway at 19 years 8 months and 4 days. The previous record was held by Cole Custer (11/18/2017 – 19 years, 9 months, 26 days).
“I’m so excited. That’s so awesome, Burton said. “I gave away the lead on the first restart in the same position and I didn’t really want to do that again. I knew the 9 (Gragson) was going to drive in real deep and slide up so felt good about that. Proud of my guys, they worked on this thing so hard every run – made it better and better. What a day to get this Xfinity Supra to victory lane. They can keep on doubting this thing and we’re going to keep coming back.
The second NASCAR Xfinity race of the weekend – the Contender Boats 250 – will take place on Sunday at 12:00 noon (FS1), and Burton is eager for that race to start.
“This track is so much fun,” Burton said about Homestead-Miami Speedway. “It really puts it in the driver’s hands, especially at the end there. I’m just ready to go again tomorrow to be honest with you, I want to get two.”
Cindric led 24 laps and finished second, while Gragson led a race-high 83 laps and was third. The top-five was rounded out by Anthony Alfredo (4th) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (5th).
Ryan Sieg won Stage 1 of the race, while Noah Gragson claimed the second stage.
The running of the NASCAR Cup Series Dixie Vodka 400 will also take place on Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway, at 3:30 p.m. ET (FOX and FOX Deportes).
About Homestead-Miami Speedway
Homestead-Miami Speedway has been open since 1995 following an initiative to spur economic recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew. The Speedway, which was founded by Miami businessman, racing enthusiast and philanthropist Ralph Sanchez, is a 650-acre facility that features a 1.5-mile oval and 2.21-mile road course. The Speedway hosts on-track events nearly 300 days per year and generates more than $301 million annually for the region. In 2019, NASCAR crowned champions in all three of its national series at Homestead-Miami Speedway during Ford Championship Weekend for the 18th consecutive year (2002-19). Champions crowned at Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2019 were Kyle Busch (NASCAR Cup Series), Tyler Reddick (NASCAR Xfinity Series) and Matt Crafton (NASCAR Gander RV & Outdoors Truck Series). In 2020, Homestead-Miami Speedway commemorates its 25th anniversary in 2020, as it hosts four NASCAR races over two days – June 13-14 – capped by the running of the NASCAR Cup Series Dixie Vodka 400 on Sunday, June 14.