Burton Qualifies 27th at Phoenix

Harrison Burton and the No. 21 DEX Imaging Mustang are set to start Sunday’s United Rentals Work United 500 at Phoenix Raceway from 27th place.

The Phoenix weekend is the first using NASCAR’s new lower-downforce aero package for oval tracks one mile or shorter and for road courses.

Burton and the team adapted quickly to the new package, posting the eighth-fastest time in Friday’s practice session on their third lap on the track. Burton’s best lap was at 130.147 mph. He was 15th fastest among drivers who ran 10 consecutive laps in practice. He averaged 128.160 mph over the first 10 laps he ran out of a total of 57 in the 50-minute session.

Sunday’s 312-lap, 500-kilometer race is scheduled to get the green flag just after 12:30 p.m. (3:30 p.m. Eastern Time) with TV coverage on FOX.

Stage breaks are planned for Laps 60 and 185.

WBR PR