March 17, 2024
A promising start to Sunday’s Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway for Harrison Burton and the No. 21 DEX Imaging team took a disappointing turn just 67 laps into the 500-lapper as Burton made an unscheduled green-flag stop for fresh rubber. Although he and the team managed to work their way back onto the lead lap, the tire issues continued to plague them and they wound up 32nd at the finish.
Burton started the race from 13th place and drove into the top 10 by Lap 44. He was running just outside the top 15 at Lap 60 when tire issues surfaced, necessitating a green-flag stop that left him two laps in arrears.
Burton and the DEX Imaging team worked their way into the free pass position and rejoined the lead lap when the caution flag was displayed at Lap 175 for a multi-car crash.
He was back among the top 20 in the latter portions of the second Stage, and ended that segment in 19th place.
The DEX Imaging crew called for a two-tire stop at the end of the Stage and moved back into the top 15 only to experience another tire issue and another unscheduled green-flag stop at Lap 306 that cost them three laps.
With few strategy options at the team’s disposal, Burton was unable to advance.
Burton and the No. 21 team return to the track next week for a road-course race at Circuit of the Americas.