Harrison Burton ended the first stage of Sunday’s Daytona 500 with a barrel roll. His 21 Wood Brothers Ford had been leading the outside lane ahead of Brad Keselowski in the 6 when a hard bump from Keselowski sent Burton sideways into the inside lane to collect eight cars in total. As soon as the 21 car got backward, it flipped over and landed back on its wheels.
Burton was uninjured in the crash. Asked what happens after he was released from the infield care center, he said, “I don’t know, I just got pushed and didn’t take it the right way – the car didn’t take it the right way or got pushed in the wrong spot. I’m not sure. I couldn’t really tell.”
As to why he got airborne, he said, “I don’t know if it was the diffuser that did it or what, but once I got backwards I just blew right over. As far as the cockpit and everything is safe. I didn’t get hit hard at all… so far, it was a good testament of the car being safe.”
Toyota driver Denny Hamlin was collected in what led to his first-ever DNF in 17 Daytona 500s. He criticized Keselowski: “The 6 was just intent on pushing at all costs, and just eventually turned the 2 around.” Burton disagreed, and said he’s “not questioning Brad’s ability, but I think he just got a little wide on my right side and kind of shot me on the inside there,” in an easy mistake to make.
Involved was the Ross Chastain in the 1, Brad Keselowski in the 6, Denny Hamlin in the 11, Kyle Busch in the 18, Christopher Bell in the 20, Harrison Burton in the 21, William Byron in the 24, and Alex Bowman in the 48. Byron said: “There was nothing you could really do… just trying to push your guy out front.” Chastain, who didn’t even see the cars crashing before he was collected, said it was “Just wrong place, wrong time… Bummer.”
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