Don't look now, but there's another Burton on the racing horizon.
Harrison Burton, the 10-year-old son of NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Jeff Burton, races quarter midgets with the United States Auto Club (USAC) in an all-oval series for 5-16 year-olds. He currently leads the points in several divisions, including Light World Formula and Senior Animal.
On Sunday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, the younger Burton was outfitted in a smaller version of his dad’s yellow-and-black CAT firesuit as he faced the assembled media.
“It’s been really fun to go out and race,” Harrison said. “My favorite track was probably a banked track. It was really fun to race on that completely sideways track because it’s really good racing, and everybody was passing each other really often.”
Jeff Burton said he has found racing a natural way for he and his son to spend time together, but it is Harrison's decision.
“I have a passion for racing, and I love it, but he doesn’t have to,” Jeff said. “If he ever wants to quit, we quit. If he wants to play lacrosse, we play lacrosse.
"Quarter midget racing is really a cool way to spend time with your son or daughter,” Jeff said. “It’s a safe, reasonably inexpensive way to get kids into auto racing. (The kids) are out there helping you work on the race car and see what it takes to be good at it, and I think there’s a lesson in life about that.”
