MILLINGTON, Tenn. - Harrison Burton is on a roll in 2017, and all the bad luck he suffered in 2016 seems to have fallen by the wayside.
The 16-year-old Huntersville, North Carolina, native won his second NASCAR K&N Pro Series East race in a row and third of the season on Saturday afternoon at Memphis International Raceway. He survived a race of attrition that saw two of the fastest drivers, Chase Purdy and Todd Gilliland, encounter problems past the halfway point in the Memphis 125.
But a win is a win. And to Burton, it was the never say die attitude instilled in him and his No. 12 Toyota Team that willed him to victory lane.
“We weren’t the best car,” Burton said. “But that’s what we’re about, we never quit. When we’re in position and the opportunity falls to us, we end up in victory lane. That’s part a little due to good fortune but also due to a lot of hard work and us being in the right position at the right time to capitalize when other guys’ days go wrong.”
Burton ran third for the entire first half of the race behind Purdy and Gilliland. But slowly, Burton’s car came to life.
He passed Gilliland with 19 laps remaining. After Purdy was sidelined by mechanical problems and Gilliland slowed with a flat tire, Burton was in the clear, and never looked back.
“We didn’t have the best car and we knew that going into the race,” said Burton, who led 19 laps. “Our strategy was to be there at the end and that’s what happened. Really proud of my guys. They never quit on me and I never quit on them and it’s a great team to be a part of. We’re looking forward to winning more of these things, that’s for sure.”
Chase Cabre brought his No. 4 Toyota home in second place when the checkered flag flew, the best finish of his career.
“We were pretty good and had the car underneath us all race long,” Cabre said. “We did exactly what my crew chief Mark Green told me to do and that’s race the race track and it’ll give you what you got…I don’t think I focused on anybody when I was out there. I just focused on making every lap as hard and clean as I could without overdriving, and it paid off.”
Travis Miller’s No. 40 Toyota was beaten and battered on the right side, but it came home in a solid third place for his second top five of the season. Ronnie Bassett, Jr. finished in fourth, with and Jay Beasley in fifth.
Hunter Baize, Collin Cabre, Gilliland, Dillon Bassett and Trey Hutchens rounded out the top ten
Burton was able to extend his championship points lead to 28 over Gilliland after eight races. Hunter Baize is another 18 points back and third through seventh are separated by just seven points.
The next event for the K&N Pro Series East will be July 1 at Berlin Raceway, marking the halfway point of the 2017 season. The NASCAR K&N Pro Series East has never raced at the Marne, Michigan race track.
NASCAR K&N Pro Series East
Memphis International Raceway – Millington, TN
Memphis 125 – June 3, 2017
| Fin | Str | Car | Driver | Team | Laps | Points | B/Points | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 | 12 | Harrison Burton | Dex Imaging Toyota | 125 | 47 | 4 | Running |
| 2 | 6 | 4 | Chase Cabre * | Max Siegel, Inc. Toyota | 125 | 42 | Running | |
| 3 | 12 | 40 | Travis Miller | MDM Motorsports Toyota | 125 | 41 | Running | |
| 4 | 5 | 4 | Ronnie Bassett, Jr. | Bassett Gutters Chevrolet | 125 | 40 | Running | |
| 5 | 13 | 42 | Jay Beasley | Honda Generators Toyota | 125 | 39 | Running | |
| 6 | 9 | 13 | Hunter Baize | Overstock Mercantile Chevrolet | 125 | 38 | Running | |
| 7 | 10 | 2 | Collin Cabre | UTI/NTI Toyota | 125 | 37 | Running | |
| 8 | 2 | 16 | Todd Gilliland | NAPA Auto Parts Toyota | 125 | 37 | 1 | Running |
| 9 | 11 | 44 | Dillon Bassett | Bassett Gutters Chevrolet | 125 | 35 | Running | |
| 10 | 7 | 14 | Trey Hutchens | Boninfante Friction Inc Chevrolet | 125 | 34 | Running | |
| 11 | 14 | 23 | J.P. Morgan | SoldByJackieMorgan.com Chevrolet | 125 | 33 | Running | |
| 12 | 4 | 30 | Tyler Dippel | TyCar Ford | 123 | 32 | Running | |
| 13 | 1 | 17 | Chase Purdy * | Bama Buggies Toyota | 122 | 33 | 2 | Running |
| 14 | 8 | 6 | Ruben Garcia Jr. | Max Siegel, Inc. Toyota | 122 | 30 | Running | |
| 15 | 15 | 19 | Chuck Buchanan, Jr. | Spring Drug Chevrolet | 122 | 29 | Running |
RACE STATISTICS
Fastest Qualifier: Chase Purdy *, Time: 23.799 Seconds, Speed: 113.450 mph
Time of Race: 1 hrs., 7 mins, 43 secs Average Speed: 83.067 mph Margin of Victory: 1.583 Seconds
Caution Flags: Laps 14-16 (#19 Spin Turn 2 – No FP); 24-26 (#40, #19 Spin on Backstretch – No FP); 41-43 (#19 Spin Turn 4 – FP #40); 56-63 (Debris on Frontstretch/Break – FP #44); 97-100 (Debris on Backstretch – FP #23); 111-113 (#2 Spin Turn 4 – FP #44). 6 for 24 laps.
Lap Leaders: Chase Purdy * 1-17, Todd Gilliland 18-19, Chase Purdy * 20-44, Todd Gilliland 45, Chase Purdy * 46-64, Todd Gilliland 65-106, Harrison Burton 107-125.
Total Laps Led: Chase Purdy * 61, Todd Gilliland 45, Harrison Burton 19. 6 changes involving 3 drivers.
Top 10 Driver Points: Harrison Burton 262, Todd Gilliland 234, Hunter Baize 216, Ruben Garcia Jr. 212, Chase Purdy * 212, Ronnie Bassett, Jr. 210, Chase Cabre * 209, Jay Beasley 195, Dillon Bassett 189, Collin Cabre 186
* – Denotes Sunoco Rookie of the year contender
