Yahoo Autos Party Like It's 1993: Harrison Burton's NASCAR Win Brings Back Memories of Ned and Dale Jarrett
Turn back the clock to the 1993 Daytona 500 when the telecast’s producer told analyst Ned Jarrett to be a father and call his son Dale home on the final lap.
In Saturday night’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona, Jeff Burton found himself in a similar situation.
His son, Harrison, was dueling with two-time NASCAR champion Kyle Busch for the overtime victory that Harrison claimed.
Thirty-one years ago, Ned Jarrett worked in the CBS TV booth as an analyst during the Daytona 500, watching his son Dale Jarrett duel with NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt for the cherished victory.
Jarrett had always focused on not showing favoritism as a broadcaster, but on this day the telecast’s producer told Jarrett to be a father and call his son home on the final lap. Jarrett felt uncomfortable transitioning to the role, but he did as instructed, providing fans with some unforgettable commentary.
“Come on Dale! Go, Baby, Go! All right! Come on! I know he’s got it to the floorboard. He can’t do anymore. Stay to the inside! Don’t let him (Earnhardt) get on the inside of you coming around this turn (three). Here he comes, Earnhardt. It’s the Dale-and-Dale show as they come off of turn four. You know who I’m pulling for, it’s Dale Jarrett. Bring her to the inside Dale. Don’t let him (Earnhardt) get down there. He’s gonna make it! Dale Jarrett is going to win the Daytona 500!”
In Saturday night’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona, Jeff Burton found himself in a similar situation. His son, Harrison, was dueling with two-time NASCAR champion Kyle Busch for the overtime victory that Harrison claimed. Unlike with Jarrett, the NBC producer let Leigh Diffey handle the call, but Burton didn’t mind.
“Ned (Jarrett) has been my guiding light, and how to be in the booth and cover when your son’s on the race track,” Burton said. “He did things the right way. The way he conducted himself is how I’ve tried to do it.
“Everybody knows Harrison is my kid, and blood is thicker than water. They all know I’m pulling for him, but at the same time when I walk into the garage everybody has to know that I call it like I see it. The competitors deserve it. They deserve to be represented fairly, and I couldn’t walk into the garage feeling like people thought that I wasn’t. That’s what Ned did. You never questioned it.”
Matter of Trust
Burton noted the executives who oversee NBC Sports’ NASCAR coverage have trusted him to be fair when dealing with all of the competitors.
“I have a ton of appreciation for them trusting me to do it because it would be a potential conflict of interest. I’m glad they trust me enough for me to make sure it’s not,” Jeff Burton said.
Still, the 23-year-old Burton sometimes teases his father for not showing favoritism.
“I won a Xfinity race, and he didn’t say a dang word except he felt bad for Noah (Gragson) that I passed him on the last lap,” Harrison Burton said with a smile. “What is that, dude? You can be excited. It’s okay.”
Jeff Burton explained his commentary on that NASCAR Xfinity race.
“He (Harrison) passed him (Gragson) on the last lap. If he (Gragson) would have won that race, it would have changed the whole playoff picture that year in the Xfinity Series,” the elder Burton said. “He (Harrison) wins the race and the first thing out of my mouth, or pretty close to it, was look how this affected the playoff race. I’m excited, but the analyst kicked in.”
Family Ties
Saturday night’s Daytona victory possessed more ties between the Jarrett and Burton families than simply former NASCAR drivers watching their sons win at the 2.5-mile track.
Dale Jarrett’s son, Jason, is Burton’s spotter. When it comes to the Wood Brothers, Dale Jarrett and Harrison Burton both recorded their first NASCAR Cup victory with the legendary Virginia team.
When Jarrett won his first Cup race in 1991 at Michigan, he was in his last season with the Wood Brothers. He joined Joe Gibbs Racing in its inaugural season the following year, but he didn’t record his second victory until 1993 in the season opening Daytona 500. Burton, like Jarrett, is in his final season with the Wood Brothers. He still needs a ride for 2025.
Overall, the weekend belonged to second generation drivers. In addition to Burton, Ryan Truex won NASCAR’s Xfinity race at Daytona for his second victory this season and Lane Riggs secured his first career victory in Sunday’s NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at The Milwaukee Mile.
