Harrison Burton has openly responded to the recent decision by Wood Brothers Racing to replace him with Josh Berry for the upcoming year. Addressing the situation on X (formerly Twitter), Burton has accepted his disappointment but admits that it’s all just part of the game each of these drivers are playing.
“Obviously never good news and never news you want to hear as a race car driver. But at the end of the day, that’s the way this business works and we need to put that behind us and we still have a great opportunity to go try and get the Wood Brothers their 100th win this season,” Burton stated on X, formerly Twitter (below). “They’ve been really good to me and my family, still have been over these last few weeks. Obviously, with all this stuff developing, our team is as motivated as ever to try to get them win No. 100, and I’m on that same boat. We’re still full steam ahead and pushing and trying everything we could.”
Despite the unsettling news, the North Carolina driver remains steadfast, standing firm on his commitment to the team’s goals for the remainder of the season. The 23-year-old racer, who is yet to clinch a victory but has managed four top-10 finishes during his time with Wood Brothers Racing, convened with his team to fuel a collective push towards securing the landmark 100th win for the team.
As the announcement went public, Burton and his team were already strategizing their next moves.
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“As that announcement was going live, we were in a meeting at the shop talking about Chicago,” he revealed, demonstrating his ongoing dedication.
On the other side of the garage, Jon Wood, the team president, shed light on the rationale behind the switch in drivers.
“We need to be better. There’s no secret. This is a business that’s based on chemistry, and it’s a sport that’s based on results, and right now, we’re just not having those results,” Wood elaborated. “You know, Harrison shares some responsibility. If it’s on us — we’re not pointing fingers. We’re not here to say this one’s at fault; that one’s at fault. We’re just not where we need to be, and so finding that right chemistry and balance to have those results and performance, that’s what we’re looking for.”
Meanwhile, Josh Berry is preparing to transition from Stewart-Haas Racing, which is closing down at the year’s end, to take up Burton’s mantle at Wood Brothers Racing.
Despite these challenges, Burton’s resolve remains unshaken, and he vows to continue his arduous work.
“Definitely full steam ahead. Still working hard, trying to make the best out of the opportunity we have. Whatever comes in the future just can move on and keep going and still have a great relationship with those guys and everything they’ve done for me. At the end of the day, that’s business, that’s how it goes. But this is not an excuse for up to lay down and die. We’re going to go down swinging,” Burton warned.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
