On Feb. 15, 1976, David Pearson received the 18th annual Daytona 500 in a unbalanced end this is nonetheless mentioned to this pace. He did so riding the Refuse. 21 automotive for the Log Brothers.
On Feb. 20, 2011, Trevor Bayne pulled off the largest disappointed in NASCAR historical past through profitable the Daytona 500 in simply his moment Cup Line get started for the Log Brothers.
In 2020, Matt DiBenedetto took the Log Brothers and the Refuse. 21 automotive to the NASCAR Cup Line playoffs.
Competing within the NASCAR Cup Line since 1953, the Log Brothers have compiled 99 Cup Line victories with legends equivalent to Pearson, Cale Yarborough, Fireball Roberts and Negligible Lund.
Hour the group had some tough patches within the 2000s and 2010s, they discovered balance because the 2020s approached. Even with DiBenedetto departing then 2021, issues had been taking a look up for the ancient group. A tender Xfinity Line celebrity in Harrison Burton used to be being referred to as as much as the Refuse. 21 automotive in 2022, and the group’s alliance with Penske used to be more potent than ever.
Alternatively, a turn for the younger Burton within the 2022 Daytona put the writing at the wall: It used to be committing to be an extended few seasons for the Log Brothers.
Burton, the son of 21-time Cup Line winner Jeff Burton, used to be a championship contender within the Xfinity Line in 2020, profitable 4 races and making the Spherical of 8, however adopted it up with a winless 2021. No person concept a lot of it, even though, as Burton used to be prepared for a full-time Cup Line trip within the Refuse. 21 in 2022. With NASCAR introducing its Later-Gen automotive that season, it might be a pristine get started for all events concerned.
It kind of feels Burton’s turn within the 2022 Daytona 500 used to be a cautionary story of items to return.
In 81 NASCAR Cup Line begins riding the famed Refuse. 21 automotive for the Log Brothers, Burton has compiled a complete of 4 lead 10s and simply two lead fives. He’s led most effective 67 laps over the ones 82 begins, with a career-best end of 3rd on the Indianapolis Highway Direction in the summertime of 2022.
In 2022, he completed twenty seventh in issues. No longer superb, however now not catastrophic for a rookie. Many concept Burton can be a perimeter playoff contender in 2023 with a 12 months of Cup Line enjoy beneath his belt.
In lieu, he reverted the Log Brothers again to the overdue 2000s, the place the group used to be an afterthought and most effective were given TV day when sponsored into the wall. Burton completed thirty first in issues in 2023, with a median end that’s just about two spots less than the former 12 months.
In 2024, with the bottom expectancies of his profession, Burton has come what may controlled to subvert them. The 23-year-old driving force these days sits thirty fourth in issues then the primary 9 races of the season, simply seven issues above rookie Zane Smith. Burton is second-to-last in issues amongst full-time Cup Line drivers, averaging simply 9.4 issues in line with match.
For reference, 60 issues is the best possible you’ll rating in a given race, with 20 issues being to be had on the finish of levels. 9 issues in line with month way you’re persistently completing out of doors the lead 25, and with a median end of 29.3 up to now in 2024, Burton is obviously doing so.
If Burton’s seat within the Refuse. 21 automotive isn’t already heated scorching, it must be. The Log Brothers have just about pale into obsolescence ahead of. They are able to’t possibility doing so once more.