A surge of contrasting opinions has been sparked by the recent victory of Josh Berry, the driver of the No. 21 Ford for Wood Brothers Racing (WBR). This win has cast a critical spotlight on the performance of former WBR driver Harrison Burton, leading to divided reactions from the NASCAR community and fans.
Berry clinched the 101st win for WBR at the Pennzoil 400, after initially starting from the seventh position. His triumph, which he attributes to the “great group” at WBR who “build great race cars”, has also inadvertently highlighted Burton’s underwhelming record with the team.
Burton, who left WBR after a notable victory at the 2024 Coke Zero Sugar 400 race, was the fourth driver to reach Victory Lane for WBR since 2000. He was also the latest in a line of racing legends, including David Pearson, Cale Yarbrough, Kyle Petty, and A.J. Foyt, who have represented the tight-knit Virginian team founded by NASCAR Hall of Famers Leonard Wood and the late Glen Wood in 1960.
Despite this lineage, Burton’s performance has been a subject of controversy. During his debut year in the Cup Series in 2022, he managed a meager two top-10 finishes in 36 races, marking a low point for WBR since they returned to full-time racing in 2016. A comparison drawn on a Reddit NASCAR page between Berry and Burton has further emphasized this performance gap, suggesting that the problem could have been with Burton’s pace, rather than the team.
The Reddit post highlighted Berry’s successes in just five starts, including a win on a mile and a half, a fourth-place finish at Phoenix, and leading multiple laps at Atlanta. In contrast, it pointed out that Burton, in 108 starts with the same car, only managed a superspeedway win, a top-5 at the Indy road course, and four top-10 finishes.
Burton’s Daytona victory in 2024 was considered a fluke by many, as he took the lead from Kyle Busch in the last lap with a push from Parker Retzlaff, who was driving a Chevrolet, the same Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) as Busch. This move sparked controversy among fans, who felt Busch deserved the win and Retzlaff was deliberately working against his own OEM.
Despite these criticisms, Burton has not been performing poorly in his new role. Driving the No. 25 AM Racing Ford, he has already secured three top-ten finishes across 5 races in the Xfinity Series. He has also expressed high expectations for the season, stating, “My expectations are we’re going to perform well, win races and make the playoffs. That’s my goal and the mindset we all have to have.”
The NASCAR community has responded with a mix of views. While some fans echoed the aforementioned Reddit post, blaming Burton for WBR’s subpar performance, others have been more forgiving. Some suggested that the dynamics at WBR may not have been a good fit for Burton, and that he is better suited to the Xfinity Series.
Others have pointed out that the Next-Gen car, introduced in 2022, could have contributed to Burton’s struggles. Even seasoned drivers like Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin have admitted their difficulties with this new model.
The debate on whether Berry’s superior performance is due to his driving skills or Burton’s incompatibility with the Next-Gen car continues. What’s your take on this? Is Berry truly a better driver, or does Burton simply perform better in an Xfinity car? Share your thoughts in the comments!